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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
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which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


•J 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommag6e 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  peliiculde 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
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mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmdes. 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
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une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  m6thode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiquds  ci-dessous. 


□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


The( 
to  th 


Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pelliculdes 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pages  ddcolordes,  tachet^es  ou  piqudes 


□    Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtach^es 

HShowthrough/ 
Transparence 


Transpar 

Quality  c 

Quality  indgale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materii 
Comprend  du  materiel  supplementaire 


The! 
possi 
of  th 
filmii 


Origi 
begii 
the  li 
sion. 
othei 
first 
sion, 
or  ill 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


D 
D 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
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Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  h\h  film6es  d  nouveau  de  fa^on  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


The  I 
shall 
TINL 
whic 

Map 
diffe 
entir 
begii 
right 
requ 
mett 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


Irregular  pagination:    [1  ]  - 144, 149  -  292  p. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu^  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

30X 

y 

i 
1 

12X 

1«X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  the  Public 
Archives  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
g6nArosit6  de: 

La  bibliothdque  des  Archives 
pubiiques  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Las  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettet6  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^- (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  y  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmis  en  commen^ant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  selbn  ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  ie  symbols  — ►  signifie  "A  SUIVRE ',  ie 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diff^rents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clich6,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supirieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n6cessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  m6thode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

S 

6 

U.  I 


COMPl 


c. 


With  an 


n^r  ■ 


A  BRIEF  REVIEW 


OF   THE 


SETTLEMENT  OF  UPPER  CANADA 


BY   THE 


U.  E.  LOYALISTS  AND  SCOTCH  HIGHLANDERS, 

IN  1783; 

And  of  the  grievamces  which 

COMPELLED  THE  CANADAS  TO  HAVE  RECOURSE 
TO  ARMS  IN  DEFENCE  OF  THEIR 

RIGHTS  AND  LIBERTIES, 

In  the  years  1837  and  1838: 

TOGETHER  WITH  A  BRIEF  SKETCH  OF  THE 

CAMPAIGNS     OF    1812,    '13,    14: 

With  an  account  of  the  Mihtary  Executions,  Burnings,  and  Sack- 
ings of  Towns  and  Villages,  by  the  British,  in  the 
LTpper  and  Lower  Provinces,  during  the 

COMMOTION  OF  1837  AND  '38. 

BY  D.  M'LEOD, 

Major  General,  Patriot  Army,  Upper  Canada. 


'^^' 


CLEVELAND ; 

PRINTED    FOR    THE   AUTHOR,    BY    F.    B.    PENNIMAN. 

1841. 


RaR£ 

3611 

M3 


THIS  WORK, 


M 
M' 


IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED 


TO  THE  FRIENDS  OF  CANADIAN  LIBERTY, 


THROUGHOUT    THE    U,    S., 


BY    THE 


AUTHOR, 


This 

generoi 

manfnll 

contend 

liberty  : 

in  tlie  I 

cember 

Canadi 

Revolu 

peal  to 

sinjT  th( 

ever  oj 

bianco 

1837. 

litical  i 

satisfy 

on  theii 

ami  en 

ved  poi 

:  but  let 

'  pende(^ 

Bucceei 


« 


I 


!il 


PREFACE. 


This  work  in  designed  for  the  information  of  those  numerous 
generous  hearted  citizens  of  the  United  State.s,  who  so  nohly  and 
manfully  avowed  their  sympathy  for  the  oppressed  Canadians,  when 
contending  against  the  mighty  power  of  Great  Britian,  for  their 
liberty  and  independence ;  but  who  from  the  httle  interest  they  took 
jn  the  pohtical  affairs  of  Canada,  previous  to  the  out-break  in  De- 
cember, 1837,  are  necessarily  ignorant  of  the  proportion  that  the 
Canadian  grievances  bear  to  those  which  urged  on  the  American 
Revolution,  and  whetlier  they  were  of  the  nature  to  warrant  an  ap- 
peal to  arms.  We  feel  convinced  that  the  reader  will  find  in  peru- 
sing the  following  pages,  that  the  Colonial  grievances  of  1776i  how- 
ever oppressive  they  might  have  been  considered,  bear  no  resem- 
blance in  magnitude  or  degree  to  those  borne  by  the  Canadians  in 
1837.  Although  this  work  does  not  embrace  all  the  grievances,  po- 
litical and  religious,  which  they  endured,  yet  it  exhibits  enough  to 
satisfy  every  candid  and  rational  mind,  that  any  further  endurance 
on  their  part,  would  be  impiety  towards  God — treason  to  themselves 
and  entailing  on  their  mouldering  dust  the  maledictions  of  an  ensla- 
ved posterity.  They  have  proved  unsuccessful  in  their  first  effort  • 
but  let  not  the  friends  of  freedom  despair;  the  contest  only  is  sus- 
pended, not  given  up.  The  people  arc  getting  prepared  ;  they  wiU 
succeed  as  sure  as  the  revolution  of  76  succeeded.     They  h?ve  suf^ 


!? 


^  PREFACE. 

ti;ro(l,an(l  know  the  valiio  of  lihorly  ;— tlicy  will  cndnrn  but  a  littln 
hmgcr.  The  propitious  day  is  last  a]>proacliing  when  they  wil' 
arise  in  their  niiirht,  and  with  a  iniiled  cllort  substitute  the  Twin 
Star  Spann^led  Caiiiier  of  Independence  for  tin;  Royal  Tyrant 
Standard  of  Enirland— then  America  iVoni  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to 
Mic  Artie  ocean,wilI  form  one  irreat,  whole,  and  happy  repuldic.  The 
British  government,  without  desiiTnint?  it,  is  hasteningon  the  great  era 
of  their  birth  as  an  independiMit  people. 

Canada  must  be  free  !  With  a  fertility  of  soil  and  expanse  of  terri- 
tory sudicicnt  to  maintain  millions — with  a  people  constantly  gazing 
upon  these  prosperous  and  independent  States-and  oppressed  as  they 
have  been,  by  Jjritish  tyranny,  they  cannot  long  remain  enslaved. — 
The  broad  ocean  se])ai'ates  them  from  their  oppressor,and  and  if  once 
tree,  the  impregnable  walls  of  their  Quebec,  the  Gibralter  of  America  j 
will  bid  defiance  to  cvcvy  attempt  at  future  sul)jugation  We  fer- 
vently cherish  the  hope,  that  the  day  is  not  far  distant  when  the  Ea- 
L''ic  of  Liberty  sliall  soar  triumphant  over  this  vast  continent, — 
when  a  vestige  of  tyranny  vrill  not  remain,  and  that  the  first  step 
lo wards  this  glorious  consummation,  will  be  the  liberation  of  Ca- 
nada. 

From  the  first  discovery  of  tjjis  continent  in  1492,  down  to  the 
L'lorious  era  177G,  the  flags  oi"  the  dithrent  Enropeon  poAvers,  -who 
claimed  diil'erent  portions  of  it,  either  by  right  of  discovery  or  con. 
<{ucsi,  floated  undisturbed  over  their  vast  possessions,  from  Capo 
Horn  to  the  Artie  Ocean. 

The  only  wars  thatarose  were  in  the  ad  justmentof  their  rival  claims 
to  territory  ;  and  in  tiiese  wars,  the  colonists  ranged  themselves  ac- 
cording to  their  allegiance,  with  a  feeling  of  loyalty  of  which  that 
^\•hich  is  called  the  '-French  war"  ending  in  1763,  with  the  treaty  of 
(Quebec,  is  a  memorable  example.  In  this  war.  they  freely  spilled 
their  blood  and  treasure  in  the  cpiarrel  of  the  mother  country,  with- 
out any  advantage  to  themselves,  other  than  what  they  derived  from 
Hieir  being  to  some  extent  trained  to  arms — an  advantage  they  were 
soon  destined  to  turn  to  a  great  account. 

At  the  period  of  this  treaty.  Great  Britain  and  Spain  possessed, 
or  claimed  to  possess,  almost  the  entire  northern  continent,  and,  witli 
the  Portuguese,  the  French,  and  the  Dutch,  they  divided  tlie  south- 


ern portioi 
by  lieuten 
erty  in  va 
societ)  am 
From  tli; 
now  living, 
ry,  either 
it  results. 
to  the  pre 
Portugur 
ny  thousai 
revolt ;  am 
treat  throu 
yet  the  gla 


for  in  no  in 
she.vtiied  ti 
The  gre 
yet  lingers 
that  too.  ai 
sprung  fi'oi 
ever,  the  P 
unfurled — 1 
holy  aspirf 
enlh  rial  o 
eedonia  in 
and  cried. 
main  in  boi 
more  num 
entire  cont 
them  must 
their  allegi; 
the  great  11 
has  been  r 
cause  the  c 
deprived  ol 


m 


I  rllEFACE,  ti 

crn  portion  and  tlic  islands.  These  vast  posseF?fiionf5  were  ruled  over 
by  lieulontuits,  cliicfly  n)ili(,ary  men,  and  the  colonists  enjoyed  lib- 
erty in  varioiirj  de52:rccs,  each  bearing  some  analogy  to  the  state  of 
society  uinongst  the  people  Irom  whicli  they  sprung. 

Fi-oinlliat  ])('riod  to  this,  a  ])eriod  within  ihc  recollection  of  many 
now  living,  a  change  hastaken  place  which  has  no  parallel  in  histo- 
ry, either  in  the  ninLniitnde  oC  its  conception,  or  in  the  grandeur  of 
it  results.  From  t!ie  time  the  first  blood  was  shed  at  Concord,  down 
to  the  present,  the  liislory  of  all  tlie  colonies— English,  Spanish^ 
Portuguese,  French  and  Dutch-slretcliing  along  a  continent  of  ma- 
ny thoiiFjands  of  miles,  has  been  one  continued  scene  of  successful 
revoll  ;  and.  ullhongh,  as  in  the  case  of  Washington's  disastrous  re- 
treat through  t!ic  .Terscys,  the  ])rospect  was  often  dark  and  gloomy, 
yet  the  glorious  result  has  taught  the  world,  that 

"  Frf.odom's  halllc  once  l)!-;;i!n, 
Bt'()U(jat!ie;l  tVnin  Itieivliiij,'  :?iro  to  ^;l)n  ; 
Thoiigli  InifHed  oft,  b-  always  wo^i  " 

for  ill  no  instance  have  the  colonists  oCany  European  power,  ever 
she.ithed  the  sword  alU'r  having  drawn  it.  but  as  independent  states, 
The  great  work,  however,  is  not  yet  done.  One  solitary  power 
yet  lingers;  one  link  in  the  great  chain  remains  to  be  broken,  and 
that  too,  iunong  a  people  who  speak  the  same  language,  and  are 
sprunu'  fron\  the  same  stock  as  the  Americans.  Among  them,  how- 
evei",  tlu?  Piitriot  drum  lias  been  beaten,  and  the  Patriot  standard 
iiniurled — but  th(^.  measin-e  of  their  suilcrings  is  not  yet  full.  Their 
holy  as])iratioi^,s  after  liberty  have  brought  upon  them  the  very  f;ni'' 
enth  vial  oi'  the  wrath  of  their  oppressors;  and  like  the  man  of  Ma- 
cedonia in  the  Apostles's  vision  they  have  stretched  out  tlieir  hand.-s 
and  cried,  ''•conic  over  and  help  I'.s.'-  As  yet,  however,  they  re- 
main in  bondage — a  bondage  more  cruel,  and  enforced  by  an  armj' 
more  numerous  than  has  been  borne  by  any  single  colony  on  th* 
entire  continent; — although  the  existence  of  such  an  army  amonff 
them  must  show  beyond  all  question,  even  to  the  power  that  claim.^ 
their  allegiance  that  nothing  but  that  can  prevent  them  from  joining 
the  great  family  of  Republics.  Their  history  Ibr  the  last  three  years* 
has  been  a  history  of  deadly  wrongs  and  outrages,  borne  only  be- 
cause the  oppressed  were  weak.  Taxed  without  being  represented; 
deprived  of  the  right  of  habeas  corpus — and  of  power  over  the  sup- 


1 


Mil 


I  'I 

I J 


T 


G  PREPACK. 

plies ; — deprive  J  of  armf< ;  prevented  I'rom  a.sHemhlinj^  in  their  town- 
ships — (heir  best  and  bravest  men  executed  or  banished — a  Ibreitrn 
soldiery  quartered  in  then;  villages  and  handets  ; — and  arms  in  the 
hands  of  brutal  and  bloody  orange  men  only,  while  martial  law  su- 
percedes the  regular  administration  ol"  justice.  Thus,  and  thus  on- 
ly, does  the  last  European  power  support  itself  in  its  last  foothold  on 
1  his  continent,  and  by  such  unworthy  means,  the  red  cross  of  Si 
Cn;orge  is  still  kept  floating  on  the  turrets  of  Gluebe,  and  waves  over 
Jhe  Canadas.  The  United  States  cannot  expect  peace  whilst  Great 
Britian  holds  possessions  on  her  borders  ;  they  must  drive  her  from 
this  land  of  promise.  The  Canadians  from  one  extreme  of  ihe  pro- 
vinces to  die  other,  hunger  and  thirst  after  liberty.  They  desire  to 
he  partakers  of  the  free  institutions  of  the  U.  S.  Let  it  then  be 
their  part  to  dispen>;e  to  them  the  heavenly  gil't, — tor  why  shovdd 
they  lie»^itate  ? 


in  son 

twcen 

tent, 

solute 

forms 

the  sh 

paves 

gives 

cial 

places 

,to  the 

with 

mercd 


1 


eir  town- 
a  foreign 
iiH  ill  tin; 
il  kiw  sii- 
l  thus  011- 
otliold  on 
OSri    of  Si 
uvei^  over 
ilnt  Great 
3  her  Iron  I 
f  ilie  pro- 
,'  dertire  to 
it  then  be 
'hy  .should 


H 


h 


ii^TuoKrciiorv. 


f 

&    The  innnonsc  natural  advaiitagos  which  Upper  Canada  pos  - 
sessc3,  for  agriculun-al  and  conifncrcial   purposes,  arc  unriva- 
led, perhaps,   in  North  America.      A   lino  of  water  Cfjmtnun'i- 
cation  exlondinf^  a  thousand  miles,  and  upwards,  upon  its  fron- 
tier, and  embracing  a  territory  of  a  richly  varied  and  product- 
ive soil,  with  a  salubrious  climatu,  oiler  rave  facilities  for  suc- 
cessful and    rapid    improvement.      The    interior  every  where 
presents  the  appearance  of  a  coimtry  peculiarly  adapted  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  created  by  civilization;  and  where  enterprise  and 
industry  would  be  sure  to  meet  an  abuinJant  reward,      in  addi- 
tion   to    ail  these,  it  will,  no    doubt,  one  day,  appear,  that  Up- 
per Canada  is  rich  in  all  the  useful,  if  not  in  the  most  precious 
.  minerals,  which  now  lie  buried  beneath  the  surface  for  want  of 
enterprise  to  stimulate    the    search.     Tho  lull   development  of 
their  internal    resources,   and   their    active   adaptation    to   the 
wants  of  a  growing  empire,  need  hardly  be  looked  for,  so  long 
as  they  remain  a  dependent  colony  of  manufacturing  England. 
It  being  a  part  of  the  colonial   policy    of  that  country  to  make 
her  foreign  possessions  the  consumers  of  the  surplus  products 
of  lier  overgrown  manufactories.     Such  a  course  of  proceed- 
ing is,  no  doubt,  absolutely,  necessary  to  support  the  excessive 
trading  and  manufacturing  interests  of  P)ritain,  and  to  preserve 
in  some  degree,  the  proper  relation  which  ought   to  subsist  be- 
tween the  parent  state  and   the  colony;  and  which,  to  some  ex- 
tent, might  be   rendered  mutually    beneficial.     But  it  is  so  ab- 
solutely   destructive    of  that  Rj)irit   of  enterprise  which  trans- 
forms the  wilderness  into  fertile  fields  ;  that  speeds  the  plough; 
the  shuttle  and  the  hanniier;  plants  cities,   towns  and  villages^ 
paves  the  streets,    rears  the  college   dome  and   academy  hall; 
gives  life  and  energy  to  trade  and  commerce,  by  cutting  artifi- 
cial channels  from    hikes   to  rivers,    and  approximates  distant 
places  by  levelling  hills  and  raisin  :  valleys;  that  gives  impetus 
.to  the  axle,  and  expansive  force   to  steam;  peoples  the  waters 
with  wALKiNc;  THINGS    OF  LIFE;  and    spreads  the  sail  of  com- 
inerce   lo   every    breeze,    and  wafts    the  treasures   of  the  far 


\ 


It! 


8 


1 


iNTnoDFcrnoN'. 


f 


west  JinJ  north  to  a  populous  and  thriving  t3ni|)orium  and  de- 
pository of  tlie  nation's  wealth.  Do  \vc  want  proof  of  this  ?  — 
Look  at  Upper  C'anada  with  all  its  transcendent  nalnrai  advan- 
tages, as  it  is,  and  by  comparing  witlj  th  ;  ndj'ie  Mit  parts  of  llic 
United  States.  See  wh;it  it  ougjjt  to  be,  and  might  have  been 
but  for  the  fatal  counti'iacting  cause  wliie'.i  sit>i  like  a  moun- 
tain  incubus  upon  Canadian  enterprise,  and  paraliz'js  every  ef- 
fort, made  to  advanc(!  its   int(,'rnal    prosperity. 

Sixty  years  and  U))wards  has  elapsed  sincie  the  settlement  of 
tipper  Canada  comuiencfMl  under  ihr.  auspices  and  |)iolection 
of  the  llritisb  government;  during  l*orty-nine  years  (vl' which, 
they  have  had  a  Parliament  of  their  own,  and  what  has  been 
tlic  result  ? — with  a  territory  containinnr  millions  of  acres  of  as 
fertile!  a  soil,  as  any  on  the  face  of  the  Gl<jbe,  ca[)abl(3  of  pro- 
ducing all  the  necessaries,  and  niuny  of  the  luxuries  of  iile 
— wateri;d  by  inn  umeralde  strt^'ains,  abounding  with  hyilriiulic 
priviK'g(-'^i  and  olleriug  every  facility  to  be  desired,  for  the  es- 
t;iblishment  of  manufact(jrles;  the  finest  lorests  irj  the  world  for 
the  ship  yard,  and  eve'ry  other  purpose — the  Ccirth  abound- 
ing in  <.)res,  and  salt  springs,  sufficient,  no  doubt,  to  alibrd  ati 
adequate  supply  for  the  inhabitants,  however  numerous;  and, 
above  all,  boasting  of  a  constitution,  (vain  boast  !)  that  is  *'the 
image  and  transcript  of  the  Great  (Charter  of  JMiglish  liberty."' 
— and  there  they  arc,  more  than  a  century  in  the  rear  of  their 
republican  neiglibors,  in  all  the  essentials  that  mark  the  pro- 
gress of  improvement,  and  d(jterniine  the  state  of  society,  and 
its  advancement  in  the  useful  arts  and  sciences. 

It  is  truly  humblijig  to  the  enlightened  and  enterprising  spir- 
it of  a  British  subject,  to  make  the  com[)arison  between  Og- 
densburg,  Watertown,  Sackelts  Harbor,  Oswego,  llochester, 
Lockj)ort,  Buffalo,  Cleveland  and  Detroit  on  the  one  side,  and 
Prescott,  Kingston.  Toronto,  riamilton,  St.  Catherines,  Niaga 
ra,  Queenston,  Chippewa,  Maiden  and  Sandwich  on  the  otiier, 
with  ihe  intermediate  places  of  les.se r  note  on  either  side,  and 
the  general  appearance  of  the  country,  as  it  respects  the  de- 
gree of  improvement,  which  each  side  exhibits  to  the  eye  of 
the  mo-^t  causal  observer.  From  what  cause  results  this  ama- 
zing dilFerence  between  the  two  countries  ?  It  is  not  from  the 
locality,  nor  the  advantage  derived  from  a  sujicrior  soil,  or  more 
salubrious  climate;  these  they  possess  in  an  equal  degree.  Nor 
is  it  because  the  Americans  are  naturally  more  enterpr  ising  or 
more  intelligent,  all  things  considered,  than  the  Canadi- 
ans.    Then    what    is  it,  we  ask    again;  (for  the  enc^uiry  is  an 


imporln 
to  their 
icans  g 
nient  oi 
to  the  t 
diately 
and  int< 
This   ii 
SKLVl 
take  its 
C,  wh 
and  we 
ges;--? 
scientif 
care  of 
raiIroa( 
extcndc 
equal  to 
tate    hf 
Now,  l( 
scene  i 
lishmar 
instruct 
these  o 
constitu 
chosen 
selves 
resenli 
worth! 
lands 
three  n 
ulators 
resold 
twenty 
year  ai 
Londoi 
letters 
the  b:i 
the  an 
half  a 
of  the 
porate 
approf 


^ 


iNTRODtrcTtON. 


0 


n  ami  dtj- 
f  this  ?— 
»i  advan- 

rls  (jf  the 
ivij  hue  II 
a  inoiin. 
every  uf- 

k; (Tie lit  of 
iiolcctiou 
of  which, 
has  hot'u 
'-■ros  of  a^ 
1(!  of  pro- 
les of  lilo 
hyilraiilic 
or  tho  as- 
vvorKI  for 
ih  abouiici- 
alfortl  ail 
i-oiis;  aii'.l, 
Kit  is  *'Liic 
li  libcM'ty!-- 
ar  of  tijoir 
k   tho  [)ro- 
cicly,    and 

,'ising  spir- 
twecii  ()g- 
llochester, 
c  side,  and 
OS,  Niaga 
I  the  other, 
r  side,  and 
cts  the  de- 
tho  cyo  of 
this  ama- 
3t  from  the 
)il,  or  moro 
gree.  Nor 
rpr  ising  or 
ic  Canadi- 
c,uirv  is  an 


important  one,')  that  causes  such  marked  diirercncc,  and  so  much 
to  llieir  disparagemoiU]  Thcansvver  is  a  phiiii  one.  The  Amer- 
icans govern  tluJm^5^dves;  that  is,  they  elect  all  their  govern- 
ment ollicers  for  a  limited  period.  I^'rom  the  chief  magistrate, 
to  the  township  constable,  every  ofliecr  holds  his  power  imme- 
diately fron)  the  people — from  whom  he  is  taken  to  exercise  it; 
and  into  who-c  bosom  he  will  return  when  his  short  term  is  out. 
This  is  the  secret,— Till':  PKOPLK  (iOVliUN  TllEM^ 
Sl'il^VI'iS.  And  if  you  want  a  sample  of  self-government, 
take  its  result  in  Western  New  York,  and  compare  it  with  U. 
C,  which  was  settled  abcuit  the  same  time.  iSco  their  cities 
and  well  puved  streets,  populous  towns,  and  flourishing  villa- 
ges;— see  their  colleges,  seminaries,  high  schools,  literary  and 
scientific  institutit^ns;  a  common  school  under  the  immediate 
care  of  government  in  every  neighborhood;  canals,  turnpikes, 
railroads,  light  houses,  salt  works,  factories,  &lc.  &c.,  with  an 
extended  and  rapidly  increasing  commerce,  yi(ddinga  revenue 
equal  to  souk;  of  tho  older  states  in  Europe,  and  where  real  es- 
tate has  advanced  from  a  hundred  to  a  thousand  per  cent. — 
Now,  let  us  turn  to  look  at  Upper  Canada; — how  changed  tho 
scene  and  how  mortifying  the  contrast  to  a  high  souled  Eng- 
lishman !  A  governor  irresponsible  to  the  people,  fettered  with 
instructions  fiom  a  colonial  oflice  four  thousand  miles  oil, — 
these  often  imposed  against  tho  very  letter  and  spirit  of  the 
constitutional  act  of  the  31st.  Geo.  Ill; — a  legislative  Council, 
chosen  by  tliti  is^ingor  Queen,  for  life,  who  have  made  them- 
selves independent,  alike  of  the  crown  and  the  people; — a  rep- 
resentation worse  than  nominal; — the  revenues  squandered  on 
worthless  pensioners,  Bishops  and  Politico-Priests; — the  public 
lands  frittered  away  by  thousands  to  partizans  and  parasites; — 
three  millicjns  of  acres  sold  to  a  company  of  land-jobbing  spec- 
'  ulators,  residing  in  London,  for  forty-three  cents  per  acre,  and 
resold  by  their  agents,  to  the  poor  emigrant,  at  five,  ten  and 
twenty-five  dollars  per  acre.  The  sales  of  these  lands  per 
year  amount  to  one  million;  every  cent  of  which  is  shipped  to 
London.  Sixteen  thousand  dollars  of  the  Post  Office  tax  on 
letters  and  newspapers,  pocketed  by  the  secret  manager,  and 
the  b  dance  sent  to  England  without  the  consent  of  the  province; 
the  annual  casual  and  territorial  revenue,  amounting  to  nearly 
half  a  million,  never  accounted  for; — the  proceeds  of  the  sales 
of  the  clergy  reserves  paid  into  the  military  chest  and  incor- 
porated with  the  finunces  of  Great  Britain,  in  lieu  of  being 
appropriated  to  provincial  purposes; — the  people  taxed  without 
3* 


i 


\i 


10 


INTRODUCTION. 


il 


!^ 


il 


their  consent;  the  money    so  raised  apprporialcd  without  their 
leave; — unequally  represented  in  the  assembly; — the  laws  they 
pray  for  always    negatived,    by  that   njockery   of  a  House  of 
Lords,  the  Legislative  Council; — an  Established    church,  with 
15,000,000  acres  or  one  seventli  of  the  province  as  a  reserve, 
(Canada's  first  and  last  cirse;) — their  commerce  restrict- 
ed to  the  English  market; — having  no  voice  in  the  enacting  of 
the  laws  regulating   their  trade; — their    commercial  prosperity 
retarded; — immigrants  of  wealth  and  influence  induced  to  avoid 
t'leir  ^hores  as  a  land  of  pestilence  and  famine; — the  Province 
i.jillions  in  debt;-'-the  St.  Lawrence  Canal  ab  ndoned,  for  want 
of  means — a  dark,  dismal  ditch  in   the    midst  of  desolation — a 
monument   of  folly   and    mismanagement.      Toronto,   with  its 
six  or  eight  inousand   inhabitants,  the  seat  of  government,  the 
residence  of  her  MajeRt}?'"'s  representative,  and  n  y  Lord  Chief 
Justice,  of  the  Honorable  and  Right  Reverend,  and  honorables 
without  reverend,   with   all  the  sub  and  dishonorables,  judges, 
counsellors,  barristers,  attorneys,  magistrates,  sheri(r''*s  mayors 
aldermen,  &c., — Toronto,  the  senior  of  Rochester  and  Buifa- 
lo,  some  twenty  years,  a    foul,    loathsome,  disgusting  capital, 
abounding  in    filthy    lanes    and    alleys;   muddy    and    unpaved 
streets,  and  as  a  whole,  presents  a  dreary  and  disagreeable  as- 
pect, both  from  its  low  situation,  and  the  mean  and  contempti- 
ble appearance   of  the   buildings;  generally,   the  contrast  is  so 
glaring,  that  the  observer    becomes  disgusted    with   the  latter, 
and  delighted  with  the   former. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact,  that  the  bettor  sort  of  British  and 
Irish  emigrants  generally  come  by  the  way  of  New  York;  and 
in  passing  from  tiience  to  Upper  Canada,  an  ample  opportuni- 
ty is  aflbrded  them  for  witnessing  the  unparalleled  prosperity 
and  improvement,  which  is  every  where  so  conspicuous  on  the 
vi^hole  route, -they  naturally  enquire  the  cause, -it  is  ascertained, 
and  from  the  glowing  descriptions  they  have  had  of  Upper  Ca- 
nada, they  expect  to  meet  with  similar  results  there:  but  the 
sad  disappointmeni,  they  are  doomed  to  experience,  is  fatal  to 
the  prosperity  of  t'.iat  ill  fated  country, — nine  cases  out  often, 
they  become  citizens  of  this   great  renublic. 

Could  Upper  and  Lower  Canada  show  thorn  their  young  cit- 
ies rising  up,  as  if  by  magic,  among  the  slumps  and  trees; 
could  they  show  them  their  Oswegos,  Bu(raK)s  Clevelands  and 
Detroits — very  Liverpools  in  miniature — together  with  their 
liberally  endowed  colleges,  scientific  and  literary  institutions, 
flourishing  academies  in  every  district,  and  common  schools  in 


impa 
partj 

yy,  d 

dispo 
avvak 
the  a 
Can  a 
in  we 
of  th( 
Only 
will, 
Uppei 
will  s( 
pidity 
ine  de 
end  of 
exam[ 
people 
princi 
withdr 
to  dist 
the  fre 
for  do 
**grea 
row  ai 
to  ware 
the  ins 
tion, 
the  a  I 
to  wo  I 
the  gi 
firm  d| 
salutaf 
wants  I 
systen 
partici 
biy,  r) 
ors. 
al  riglj 
House 


■V; 


hout  tlieir 

laws  lliey 

House  of 

urch,  with 

II  reserve, 

CO  rcstrict- 

nacting  of 

prosperity 

d  to  avoid 

0  Province 

d,  for  want 

olation — a 

o,  with  its 

nmcnt,  the 

Lord  Chief 

honorables 

es,  judges, 

tY's  mayors 

and  BulFa- 

ng  capital, 

d    unpaved 

recablo  as- 

conlempti— 

Intrast  is  so 

1  the  latter, 

British  and 

York;  and 

;  opportuni- 

prosperity 

uous  on  the 

ascertained, 

Upper  Ca- 

icre:  but  the 

,    is  fatal  to 

i  out  of  ten, 

•  young  cit- 
s  and  trees; 
volands  and 
with  their 
institutions, 
n  schools  in 


INTRODUCTION. 


11 


every  neighborhood,  an  educated  people,  and  above  all,  a  gov- 
ernment liberal   in  its  views  and  measures,  magnanimous  and 
impartial  in  the  distribution  of  public  offices — not  engendering 
party  feuds  and  sectarian  jealousies,  but  pursuing  a  conciliato- 
jy,  dignified    course  by    harmonizing  the  great   whole,  wisely 
disposing  of  the    public  revenues,    developing  new    resources, 
awakening   tlic  latent  energies  of  the  people,  and  directing  to 
the  accomplishment  of  deeds  of  noble   enterprise; — could  the 
Canadas  do   this,  they    might  boast  of  a  population  abounding 
in  wealth  and  enterprise;  and  for  which,    the  most  prosperous 
of  the  republican  states   might  bo  searched   for   a  parallel. — 
Only  let  thorn  liavo  such  a  goverimient,  as  most  certainly  they 
will,    sooner   or    later;  and  we  wiil   engage  that  the    people  of 
Upper  and  Lower  Canada,  who  are  not  wanting  in  enterprise, 
will  soon  wipe  off  the  reproach   of  national  indolence   and  stu- 
pidity:— but  let  the  government    be  republican — let  true  genu- 
ine democratic  feeling  flow   through  every  vein   to  the  fingers 
end  of  the  body  politic — >let  the  government  diffuse,  by  its  own. 
examples  and  measures,  a  high  minded  national  spirit  into  the 
people — let  every  public    institution  be    based    upon  the  broad 
principle  of. democracy,  and  all  preference  to  any  favored  sect 
withdrawn — let  it  frown  upon  every  association  whose  object  is 
to  disturb  the  peace    and  (juiet  of  others,  and  deprive  them  of 
the  iVoe  exercise  of  their  constitutional  rights; — let  this  be  done, 
for  done  it    will  be,   and    Canada  will,  then  become  a  nation, 
"great,  glorious  and  free.''     It  is  sickening  to  review  the  nar- 
row and  iiliboral  course,  pursued  by  the  imperial  government, 
towards  hor  Canada  possessions,  for    nearly  fifty  years.   From 
the  instant  the  machinery  of  her  government  was  put  in  opera- 
tion,   ''corruption    took  the  load  of  every  manly  virtue,"  and 
the  affairs  of  the    government    daily  progressed    from    bad  to 
to  worse.     The  causes  of  this  was,  the   irresponsible    form  of 
the  government,    in  whicii,    the  people  had    no   share;  and  a 
firm  determination  on  the  part  of  those  in  power  to  resist  those 
salutary    reforms   in    their   institutions,   which  the  increasing 
wants  and  intelligence  of  the  country  rendered  necessary.     A 
system  of  espionage  and  corruption,  exercised  on  the  elections, 
particularly  at  the   election  of  Sir  F.  B.  Head's  mock  Assem- 
bly, rendered  the  franchise  of  no  avail  to  the  majority  of  elect- 
ors.    Trade  ruined;  public  confidence  destroyed;  constitution- 
al rights  denied;  a  sham   representation  of  the  people;  a  mock 
House  of  Lords;  a  deaf  and  dumb  executive  council;  an  untir- 


12 


INTRODUCTION'. 


I 


ing  efibrt  of  thf\l    bane  of  colonial    prosperity,  t!i3  legislative 
council  to  crush  every  measure  intended  to  redress  abuses;  all 
of  which,  considered,  rendered  their  condition  mean  and  mis- 
erable.    What  country  under  heaven   not  debased  by  total  ig- 
norance of   right,    liberty  and  justice  eould  submit    so  quietly, 
and  so   long,  under  oppressions  so  grievous  and  intolerable? — 
Their  petitions  were  frequently  answered  by  adding  occasional 
links  to  their  long  chain  of  grievances;  at  other  times  soothing 
them  with  promises,  which  were  made,  only  to  be  broken,  and 
when  deception,  treachery  and    injustice    had   roused   them  lo 
desperation,  in    vindication  of  their    constitutional  rights,  they 
were  hunted  as  beasts  of  prey,  arraigned  by  sanguinary  courts- 
martial;    hung,  banished,  their    properties   burnt;  women  and 
children  turned  out  houseless,  in  the  dead  of  the  winter,  to  beg 
or  perish  in  the  snow. 

Such  are  the  outlines  of  Canadian  grievances  and  miseries, 
in  the  year  1837.  But  we  are  much  deceived  in  the  signs  of  the 
times  there, if  the  Canadas  arc  not  on  the  eve  of  taking  an  onward 
and  a  glorious  march  towards  liberty  and  independence.  The 
sordid  baseness  of  the  sanguinary  compact;  the  grovelling  in- 
solence of  the  Orangemen,  the  injustice  of  half  a  century,  the 
determination  to  maintain  an  irresponsible  government,  and 
the  atrocious  climax  of  the  wholesale  burnings  and  banish- 
ments, must  awaken  a  storm,  that  will  desolate  the  last  fortress  of 
despotism  in  North  America. 


' 


Seltk 


Previou 
timid  sett  I 
erii  proviii 
table  storn 
wrar,  cmi<.( 
is  now  ciii 
oated  resis 
wished  w( 

On  wrii 

Caiiadii  to 

land  tliev 

property  ;' 

tlie  revolii 

dreds  nio 

l!iroui;li  1 

day,  tlie  ^ 

species  of 

] II  the  \vil( 

the  heat  a 

class   of  1 

serve  in  tl 

cause  i\\Q\ 

plundertu 

Tliese,  as 

asylum  ii! 

of  an  itisi 

of  these  v 

the  Fami 

bitterness 

and  IVee 

In  178 

cial  corf 

contest,  t 


Ltive 
I;  all 
lis- 

Jetly, 
le?— 

onal 
Ihing 

and 
im  10 

thev 


beg 


CHAPTER  1. 

Settlement  of  Upper  Canada,  by  the  U.  E.  Loyalists. 

Previous  to  the  American  revolution,  numbers  of  the 
timid  settlers,  residing'  in  the  middle,  northern,  and  east- 
ern provinces,  ibrseeini!:  the  rapid  a[)proaches  of  an  inevi- 
table storm,  and  in  order  to  avoid  tlie  horrors  of  a  civil 
war,  cmi<:rrated  with  their  liunili<>sto  dJU'erent  parts  of  what 


iU 


IS  now  called,  Upper  Canad;?.  These,  tliongn  iney  depre- 
cated resistance  to  the  constituted  authorities,  yet  secretly 
wished  well  to  the  cause  of  freedom  and  the  rights  of  man. 

On  wrilin[jf  back  to  their  friends,  they  represented  Upper 
Canada  to  be  superior  in  soil,  and  as  o^enial  in  cUmate  as  tlie 
land  they  had  left,  and  induced  hundreds  to  dispose  of  their 
property  and  seek  refuge  in  the  wilds  of  the  north.  When 
the  revolution  ])roke  out  in  all  the  fury  of  civil  war,  hun- 
dreds more  followed  their  example,  wending  their  way 
tin'ougli  forests  and  swamps,  in  dread  of  the  Indians  by 
day,  the  wolves  and  panthers  by  night ;  enduring  every 
'species  of  hardship  and  privation.  Many  of  them  perished 
in  the  v/ilderness,  from  extreme  suiFering  and  want.  Ouriiig 
the  heat  and  pro<iress  of  the  revolution,  there  v/as  a  eenain 
class  of  unprincipled  tories,  who  were  too  cov/ardiy  to 
serve  in  the  ranks  of  the  oppressors  of  their  cor.ntry,  whose 
cause  they  traitorously  favored,  and  v/ho,like  all  [rct^booters, 
plundered  the  nnollending  of  eitlier  side,  indiscriminately. 
These,  as  tliey  rendered  tiicmselvcs  obnoxious,  sought,  an 
asylum  in  Upper  Canada,  to  avoid  the  righteous  vengeance 
of  an  insulted  and  outraged  community.  The  descendants 
of  these  wortlties  constitute  tiie  bulk  of  what  is  now  called 
the  Family  Compact.  They  inherit  all  the  tory  rancor  and 
bitterness  of  their  ancestors  against  republican  principles 
and  free  institutions. 

In  1783,  after  the  ratification  of  peace,  the  royal  provin- 
cial corps,  raised  during  the  sanguinary  but  triumph nnt 
contest,  to  aid  the  oppressor  against  the  oppressed,  were,  by 

2 


M 


hi 


I'; 


I  i 


;  n 


'  ■  >  !-r 


I;; 
f 'il 


i 


•    ! 


i;. 


:  i 


■14 


■^A 


14 


SETTLEMENT    OF    UPPER   CANADA, 


f 


1| 
1 


a  general  order,  marched  to  be  disbanded,  some  at  St.  John's 
in  the  Lower,  and  some  at  Niagara,  in  the  Upper  Province. 
}iy  a  royal  proclamation,  issued  some  time  previous  to 
their  disbandment,  it  was  stipulated  that  each  individual 
composing  these  corps,  as  well  as  those  who  otherwise  as- 
sisted  the  royal  cause,  and  all  those  remamingin  the  Uni- 
ted States,  who  still  adhered  to  their  allegiance,  and  were 
desirous  of  accepting  his  majesty's  gracious  proti'er,  should 
receive  grants  of  land — the  former  according  to  the  rank 
each  respectively  held  in  the  service,  and  the  latter  the 
same  as  the  privates.  To  each  of  these,  by  the  proclamation, 
was  alloted  two  hundred  acres,  as  a  royal  bounty,  and 
another  two  hundred  as  a  consideration  ior  his  services — 
his  wife  was  to  receive  two  hundred  acres  more,  and  their 
issue,  also,  as  they  became  of  age,  two  hundred  each,  wheth- 
er male  or  female,  free  of  all  fees  and  charges  whatsoever. 
How  far  this  was  adhered  to  by  the  Canadian  government, 
will  hereafter  appear. 

These  two  classes  formed  the  first  permanent  settlers  of 
Upper  (Canada,  and  were  distinguished  from  other  British 
oiingrants,  by  the  term  of  United  Empire  Men.  or,  as  they 
are  now  generally  known,  U.  E.  Loyalists.  From  \7S?f 
to  1812,  the  province  was  rapidly  settling  by  emigrants 
from  Europe  and  the  United  States.  In  1789,  the  popu- 
lation, although  very  scattering,  amounted  to  nearly  sixty 
thousand  souls.  At  this  period,  a  convention  of  delegates 
from  the  different  sections  met,  to  take  the  aflairs  of  the 
province  into  consideration.  In  the  course  of  their  delibe- 
rations, it  was  unanimously  resolved  to  petition  the  Impe- 
rial Parliament  to  set  them  apart  from  the  Lower  province, 
and  grant  them  a  goverimient,  based  on  the  British  Consti- 
UUion. 

Here  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  show  the  folly  of  those  igno- 
rant delegates,  as  it  respects  the  British  Gonstimtion. — 
Correctly  speaking,  there  is  no  such  thing  in  existence. 
There  is,  doubtless,  and  has  been,  for  ages,  plenty  of  gov- 
erning power  in  England;  but,  as  to  "a  Constitution,  or 
supreme  law,  regulative  of  that  power,  there  is  no  such 
ihiug.  Tlie  British  government  is  made  up  of  old  usages, 
old  charters,  old  fictions,    and    old  prejudices;    it  may 


also    be 
together, 
scheme  o 
its  parts, 
missing- 
trick  cons 
the  state 
Common 
working 
dies  of  n 
ers  of  U 
holders  ( 
cither  di 
posed,  it 
Liccumul 
charters 
whose  f( 
irrespon 
or  susp 
the  acci 
ed,  to  fl 
the  Brit 
had  ev 
British 
pinche( 
its  of  tl 
er  det( 
They  ( 
disting 
popals 
How  c 
to  thai 
the  ri^ 
latter, 
rights 
enjoy 
all  iti 
In 

in.,  ( 

Low( 


BY    THE    U.    E.    LOYALISTS. 


15 


also  be  added,  old  and  new  corruptions— the  whole, 
toi^ether,  presenting  a  standing  and  wonderfully  lasting, 
scheme  of  mystification.  Examine  it  in  the  whole,  or  in 
its  parts,  the  sign  may  be  found,  but  the  substance  will  be 
missing — the  name,  but  never  the  thing.  The  key  to  the 
trick  consists  in  lodging  the  whole  controlling  power  of 
the  state  in  the  hands  of  a  body  of  mdividuals,  called  the 
Commons,  or  representatives  ot  the  common  people  or 
working  classes  ;  but  who,  in  fact,  represent  the  three  bo- 
dies of  men  living  at  the  expense  of  the  people,  viz.  hold- 
ers of  land:  holders  of  real,  and  of  false  capital;  and 
holders  of  office,  place  or  pension,  in  the  gift  of  the  crown, 
cither  directly  or  indirectly.  With  the  assembly  thus  com- 
posed, is  lodged  the  power  of  statute-making ;  and  the 
accumulation  of  statutes,  superadded  to  the  two  old  royal 
charters,  called  Magna  Ghana,  and  the  Bill  ot  Rights, 
whose  few  popular  and  not  quite  obsolete  provisions,  the 
irresponsible  and  omnipotent  statute-power  can  abrogate 
or  suspend,  whenever  they  threaten  to  be  troublesome — 
the  accumulation  of  its  statutes,  as  made,  altered,  and  revis- 
ed, to  fit  every  exigence  of  the  hour,  is  ingeniously  styled 
the  British  Constitution.  America's  first  political  fathers 
had  evidently,  deeply  studied  the  complex  machinery  of 
British  government,  and  distinguished  where  the  shoe 
pinched.  The  Puritans  of  New-England,  the  choice  spir- 
its of  the  commonwealth  of  the  mother  country,  came  high- 
er determined  to  establish  popular  power  in  its  realit^r. 
They  did  so  ;  and  their  descendants  are  now  enjoying  the 
distinguished  privileges  of  the  most  liberal  institutions,  and 
popular  govf^rnment,  the  ingenuity  of  man  ever  devised. 
How  different  was  their  opinion  of  the  British  Constitution 
to  that  of  the  Canadian  aelegates  !  The  former  prefered 
the  rights  of  man  in  general,  and  acted  accordingly;  the 
latter,  the  corruption  of  the  past  and  present  ages — the 
rights  of  the  privileged  ihw  to  govern  the  mass.  The  one 
enjoy  liberty,  in  its  widest  sense  ;  the  other  are  curtailed  of 
all  its  essentials.   But  to  return: 

In  1791,  the  Imperial  Parliament  enacted  the  31st  Geo. 
III.,  dividing  the  province  of  Cciuebec,  into  the  Upper  and 
Lower  Provinces.     The  same  year.  Gen.  Simcoe  was  ac- 


!,  "",1: 


I      .1 


B>l 


'  I  "lii 


(     '.■ 


n 


1 


■;> 


16 


SETTLEMENT    OF   UPPER   CANADA, 


f 


credited  the  first  Governor  of  the  Upper  Province,  with  in- 
structions  to  explain  to  the  people  the  nature  ot  the  new 
constitution,  which  was  irrauted  aji^reeably  to  their  lequest 
In  his  openinij;  speech  iVotn  the  throne,  to  tlieir  lirst  assem- 
hly,  he  .said  :  "  He  was  tlie  bearer  ot  a  l)Oon,  which  had  es- 
tabhsliedthe  British  Constitatioii,  and  all  the  lorms  wiiich 
secure  and  maintain  it,  in  tliat  country ;''  and  in  closino- 
the  same  session,  he  said.  "  At  this  juncture,  1  ])articulo  .y 
recommend  to  you  to  explain  to  your  constituents  that  this 
province  is  singularly  ulcssed,  not  with  a  mutilated  const" 
tutio'i,  lait  with  one  whicli  has  stood  the  test  of  experiencL. 
and  is  the  very  ima'j;e  and  transcript  of  that  of  Great 
Briiainir 

KeposiiiG:  all  coniidence  in  these  j^lowiuir  assurances 
irom  tiie  Crown,  tlie  settlers  vainly  exulted  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  British  Constitution,  instead  ot  an  independeni 
republic,  and  under  it  they  dreamt  ot"  all  the  blessings  ol 
civil  and  relipfious  liberty  under  good  and  responsible  go- 
vernment. This  Constitution,  so  highly  spoken  oij  as  tlie 
grand  result  ol'tiie  wisdom  of  successive  enlightened  gene- 
rations, Vvith  all  its  supposed  attractive  beauties,  turned  out, 
III  reality,  a  mere  delusion,  witliout  tangibility,  iorm,  ur 
comeliness  ;  a  jack-'o-the-lantern,  receding  and  clianging 
its  posilioii  as  often  as  it  is  approached  ;  a  k'ind  of  Proteus 
or  cliameleon,  assuming  any  sliape  or  any  color  required. 
The  colonists  in  vain  attempted  to  coraDrehend  its  princi- 
ples and  define  its  limits;  lor  like  ti::e  nortli-eastern  boun- 
dary of  the  United  States,  it  VvMs  neither  here,  nor  there,  and 
yet  presumed  to  be  somewhere.  Had  these  simple  settlers 
reilccted,  for  one  moment,  they  v/ould  never  liave  peti- 
tioned for  the  "  ima^'c  and  Iranscripr  of  a  constitution 
NO  extremely  complex  and  intan^^ible  as  that  under  which 
the  government  of  Great  Britain  is  administered.  This 
'•  inia^^e  a/nd  transcrint''  oi  the  British  Constitution  iiTant- 
ed  to  theCanadas,  and  which  Gov.  Siincoe  lauded  so  high- 
ly, has  Ireland's  bane,  and  Canada's  first  and  last  curse, 
written  on  it  in  bold  relief,  viz.  one  seventli  of  the  province, 
or  15,01;';), 000  of  acres,  appropriated  forever  to  an  estab- 
lished clergy,  whose  members  never  did,  nor  do,  and  per- 
liaps  never  will,  number  over  one  to  ninety  and  nine  of  the 


*  other  chur 
edly  contri 
asmuch 


IS 


tliem  that, 
cleray"  wo 
The  En 
church  of 


c^  snionie 
possession 
ingers  in 
,;ie  no  smn 
is,  that  pel 
multiplyin 
whole  hist 
tinues  to  b 
strife.     Tl 
tilence. 
breadth  o 
lot  speed 
the  sequel 
sons.     As 
obstacle  tc 
product  iv< 
The  sei 
shed   and 
tailed  on  1 
by  obtaini 
constitutii 
laid  deep 
After  tl 
derly  an( 
for  fight ii 
people,  w 
.^.ontrary 
the  forsal 
America! 
vernmen 
to  secure 
Uiicerem 
seemed  1 


feV   THE    U.    E.    LOYALISTS. 


17 


Other  churches,  taken  together.     It  certainly  was  a  wick- 
edly contrived  act  on  the  part  of  those  who  fn^med  it,  in- 
asmuch us  their  own  experience   must  have  convinced 
them  that,  in  the  very  wordini^  of  the  {>ct,  "  a  protestant 
clergy"  would  always  create  serious  clerical  contentions. 
The  English  Episcopal  Church,  being  the  established 
church  of  England,  and  the  Q,ueen  its  delender,  has  sa7is 
y    ;?    C'  emonie,  claimed,  and  without  asking  the  people,  taken 
])OSsession  of  the  whole,  from  the  first :  snapping  her  pious 
iiigers  in  defiance  of  all  the  other  christian  churches,  to 
iicno  small  annoyance  of  the  province.  Tlie  consequence 
is,  that  pensioned  hypocrites  and  hireling  priests  are  daily 
multiplying  by  its  means,  for  base  political  purposes.    The 
whole  history  of  these  "  reserves'^  has  been,  and  still  con- 
tinues to  be,  one  of  ceaseless  discord,  bitterness,  and  angry 

"  strife.  Their  very  title  bears  tlie  imprint  of  a  moral  pes- 
tilence. There  is  but  one  voice,  through  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  province  rejrardin":  them:  and,  if  thev  are  ^ 
lot  speedily  disposed  of,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people, 
the  sequel  will  yet  be  written  in  the  blood  of  her  choicest 
sons.  As  these  "  reserves'*  are  situated,  they  form  a  great 
ot3stacle  to  the  improvement  of  the  province,  without  being 
productive  of  any  corresponding  advantage. 

The  scries  of  political  disabilities,  persecutions,  blood- 
shed and  corruption  which  those  heedless  delegates  en- 
tailed on  themselves,  their  descendants,  and  the  province, 
by  obtaining  the  "image  and  ^/•«?i.s'cn/>^"  of  the  British 
constitution,  will  cease,  only  when  the  boundary  line  is 
laid  deep  in  the  Atlantic. 

After  the  peace  of  '83,  a  large  proportion  of  those  so  ten- 
derly and  affectionately  denominated  the  U.  E.  Loyalists, 
for  fightinfr  for  a  vanquished  crov/n  against  a  triumphant 
people,  were,  for  want  of  means  to  remove,  constrained. 
v'.ontrary  to  their  inclination,  to  remaui  in  the  United  States, 
the  forsaken  of  both  parties.     It  is  remarkable,  that  the 

'  American  Independence  was  recognised  by  the  British  go- 
vernment without  a  solitary  sentence  in  the  treaty  of  peace 
to  secure  their  safety  or  protect  their  interests.   They  were 

'  unceremoniously  left  to  the  mercy  of  the  conquerors.  It 
seemed  like  an  ungenerous  abondonment :  but  the  issue 


a     '^ 

■■■i 


M 


r 


V  ■ 


hi 


i  ! 


-I 


.1  1 


>   11 


%- 


l:^ 


18 


SKTTLEMKNT    OF    UPPER    CANADA, 


f 


i 


proved  that  the  new  republics  could  not  only  achieve 
Iheir  liberty,  but  justly  value  and  nobly  use  it.  Tlie  U. 
E.'s  were  left  to  the  mortifying  and  huniiliatiuir  view  of  a 
revolution  unparalleled  in  the  history  of  the  world,  the 
sueeess  of  which  they  labored  to  deieat,  and  the  glory  of 
which  their  conduct  tarnished.  They  were  thus  left  as 
the  enemies  ot  liberty,  among  a  free  people  ;  as  surviving 
warriors  of  loyalty,  who  had  aimed  wounds  and  death 
ngiiinst  their  olfspring,  kindred,  and  friends;  and  they  lived 
under  those  circuinstances,  a  life  of  compunction,  remorse, 
and  shame,  wiili  the  tinger  of  scorn  pointed,  by  their  own 
children,  against  them,  as  the  friends  of  despotism  and 
as  traitors  to  the  cause  of  their  country. 

ImmediaLely  on  Gov.  Simcoe's  assuming  the  reins  of 
govermnent,  which  was  eiirht  years  after  the  peace,  these 
mifortimate  advocates  of  Uritish  supremacy  wrote  to  Sim- 
coe,  showing  bin?  their  unpleasant  situation,  and  request- 
ing to  know  what  encouragement  the  governmeut  would 
givetluMu  on  coming  to  Canada,  and  reiRnviiiir  their  alle- 
iriance.  A  proclamation  was  forthwith  issued,  to  all  such, 
to  conic  to  the  province.  Grants  of  the  tinest  and  most  fertile 
waste  lands  of  the  Crown,  were  secured  to  tiiem  and  their 
eluldron.  and  they  were  assured  they  should  have  nothiuL"" 
to  envy  m  the  country  they  wei>^  ai)  )ut  to  leave.  Keiyiiii:. 
with  the  most  imjuieit  eoniidence.  on  the  laith  and  sincerity 
of  the  proclamation, they  irladly  accepted  the  overture;  and 
abandoned  theliappy  and  prosperous  country  they  attempt- 
ed to  rnsiave,  with  its  free  insiitutions,  went  to  repose  tor 
second  tmiel)eneath  the  con:reinal  shade  o(  the  -•  ima^-£ 
a}:d  transcrrpt*'  of  the  British  Constituiiou. 

In  Hnu'land,  they  have  a  Kine.  with  his  executive  coun- 
cil, conniionly  called  his  Cabinet,  selected  trom  his  Privv 
(."'oiinctl.a  House  of  Lords,  and  a  House  ot  Connuons.  In 
Canada  they  have  corresponduiir  institutions,  viz.  a  repre- 
sentative of  the  KiuiT.  with  an  executive  council,  a  leoisla- 
tive  coiineii,  and  House  of  Assembly.  In  operation,  it  wa^ 
supposed  tiiat  these  institutions  would  in  a  manner  corres- 
]Hvad  Willi  Great  Britain  :  and  tliai  tfie  executive  counci.. 
under  uatti.  wouid  as  fully  and  iree(y  advise  the  Lieu- 
Governor  on  their  ariairs,  as  tiie  cabinet  ministers  m  En^:- 


land  advi 
trans'  ri/i 
aijemeiit  ( 
coe  amioi 
for  want 
Under 
Francis  I 
their  meli 
istration  ( 
one  of  hi 
this  pro  I 
be   adini 
King  ha 
cious  con 
And  he  1 
tion,  as  " 
in  reveni 
honesty, 
to  aid  hi: 
perty,  IL 
brandies 
as  a  bom 
row;  as 
and  feai 
and  as  a 
seen  in  ^ 
famine.''^ 
theadmii 
diate  red 
est  pitch 
lo  !  a  fe\ 
that  they 
'■  imaire  ( 
them  i  n 
was  a  hi 
their  gri 
pled  dc> 
nouncen 
ignoranc 
to  compl 


\i 


BY   THE    U.    E.    LOYALISTS. 


19 


land  advised  the  Kin^.  This  is  what  the  *'  image  and 
transi  rl/)t'^  was  supposed  to  confer  for  the  internal  man- 
agement of  their  purely  domestic  affairs,  it  is  what  Sim- 
coe  anii<»nnc(d  ;  it  was  what  their  liberties  demanded,  and 
for  want  ol'  which  their  liberties  have  dwindled  away. 

Under  this  dfhision  they  continued  till  the  arrival  of  Sir 
Francis  Hond  Head,  who,  even  upon  a  snporlicial  view  of 
their  melancholy  condition,  engendered  by  the  mal-admin- 
istration  of  successive  Governors,  before  him,  exclaimed,  in 
one  of  his  addresses  to  the  people  :  "  The  ^rietmnces  of 
this  prorince  tinist  be  redressed  ;  impai  tial  justice  must 
he  adnfinistf.rcd ;  the  people  have  demainled  it;  the 
King  has  decreed  it ;  and  I  am  here  to  exeaUc  his  gra- 
cious com.mand.  Delay  ivill  duly  increase  impatience! P"* 
And  he  has  with  melancholy  truth  portrayed  their  condi- 
tion, as  "  171  population  like  the  '  parish  of  Mary-le-honef 
in  revenue  inferior  to  many  an  English  commoner;  in 
honesty,  so  deficient  as  not  to  have  impartial  men  enough 
to  aid  him  in  carrying  on  his  government;  and  in  pros- 
perty,  like  a  girdled  tree,  standing  with  its  drooping 
branches,  in  the  flour  is! dng  continent  of  North- America; 
as  a  bone  which  has  been  picked  and  sucked  of  its  mar- 
row; as  a  tree  of  abuse,  in  tvhirh  wicked  men  have  built 
and  feathered  their  nests  at  the  expense  of  the  people; 
and  as  a  be^rgared  country,  from  which  mechanics  were 
seen  in  groups  flying  as  from  a  land  of  pestilence  and 
famine.''^  This  was  his  laniijuage  shortly  after  assuming 
the  administration.  The  hopes  of  the  people,  for  an  imme- 
diate redress  of  their  grievances,  were  raised  to  the  high- 
est pitch.  All  were  looking  forward  for  better  times  ;  when, 
lo  !  a  few  months  afterwards,  he  publicly  announced  that 
that  they  had  not  the  British  Constitution,  nor  its  express 
'•  imaire  and  transcript ;"  that  "  if  they  had  it,  it  would  ruin 
them  in  three  months;"  that  all  that  Gov.  Simcoc  had  said 
was  a  hoax,  a  mere  high  sounding  flourish  of  words;  that 
their  griev;utces  were  ideal,  the  mere  chimeras  of  unprinci- 
pled deiMMTOirnes  !  !  At  this  sudden  and  unexpected  an- 
nouncemeiif,  the  gratuitous  reflections  on  their  poverty  and 
ignorance  ;  his  declaring  that  they  had  no  real  grievance 
to  complain  of,  after  acknowledging  them  in  so  public  and 


•  !' 


M 


'''1 


m\ 


i    I 


i  I 


% 

i:,  "ll 


il 


I 

m 


■M 


<    'Y 


M 


20 


SETTLEMENT   OP    UPPER   CANADA, 


f 


solemn  a  manner,  and  declarinjr  his  detonni nation  to  re- 
dress them,  astonished  all  classes  of  tlie  comnmnity.  It  was 
soon  seen  that  that  deadly  upas  ol  lippcr  ('{inndn,  the  curse 
of  the  American  revohition,  which  he  liimscll  called  the 
"bread  and  butter  compact,"  had  discover«'d  his  weak  side, 
blinded  his  eyes,  and  perverted  his  jtidirmiMit,    by  their  de- 
ceptive admiration  of  his  superior  talints  and  abilities,  in 
iroverning  the  poor,  ignorantCanadiaiis,  a  In  wodc  Anglais. 
The  confusion  that  succeeded  baffles  description.     iVleet- 
mgs  were  held;  petitions  and  remonstrances,  from  every 
township  in  the  province,  were  jorwarded,  with  dispatch, 
to  the  imperial  government,  representing  the  true  state  of 
their  humiliating  atfairs,  adjuring  them,  as  they  valued  the 
connection  between  them  and  the  mother  country,  to  inter- 
pose their  authority,    recall  Sir  Francis,  and  redress  the 
grievances,  which  liad  become  so  intolerable  that  the  peo- 
ple could  no  lonoer  endure  them.     These  were  answered 
by  promoting  the  Knight  to  a  Baronetcy.     Mis  vanity,  af- 
ter this  mark  of  her  majesty's  approbation,  became  insuf- 
ferable ;  all  hope  of  an  amelioration  of  their  atlairs  by  the 
British  government,  were  scattered  to  the  winds.     Despair 
succeeded  to  hope  ;  and  there  was  nothing  left  th^m  but 
to  look  about  for  another  state  of  political  existenec.     For 
they  saw  themselves  without  a  responsible  government — 
poor,   wretched,  girdled,  pestilenced,  !\Iary-le-boiiod,  and 
bankrupt,  and  overrun   by  locusts,  who  were  ieeding  on 
the  fairest  fields  of  the  province  ;  while,  on  the  otlier  hand, 
they  beheld  the  Americans  peacefully  governed  by  a  pow- 
er delegated  by  the  people,   and  periodically^  revertins:  to 
them  for  a  fresh  emanation  ;  with  pure  and  unbrihed  chris- 
tian churches,  abounding  in  wealth  and  commerce,  and 
all  that  can  render  people   happy  at   home,  and  respected 
abroad.  The  U.  E.  Loyalists  themselves,  were  disappoint- 
ed, and  found  much  to  envy  in  the  country  they  had  left. 

Let  those  who  rove  in  the  realms  of  fancy,  and  think 
patriotism  is  merely  the  handmaid  of  loyalty ;  who  deem 
that  devotion  to  the  latter,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of  country, 
will  surely  reward  them  with  happiness  and  glory,  listen 
to  the  fate  of  the  U.  E.  Loyalists  who  survived  the  Ameri- 
can revolution. 


M.  Burvvi 
merican  Coi 
extract  from 
ment  of  the 

"  Let  no  \ 
gle,  you  sho 
jorce,   that 
The  cudcaVi 
ralae  of  its 

io  ]W^SOSS  C 

;  '.riie  lirst 
U.  E.  J  iOya 
tlie  King  aga 
ollice,  again,'= 
live  re  pronns 
their  troatme 
thfur  "  ciiden 
clo^-ged  Avitli 
ilenient  dutic 
tent,  and  wit 
%i{\\  The  J 
\flous  service 
J(ioii-con)]iliar 
lad  not  tiie 
radall  felt  tl 
t|ie  land,  it  w 
S^x  adequate  i 
catalogue  of 
lerfornKuice  ( 
iressive  and 
ioyalists.  B 
jnding  their 
peculators  fo: 
nds  had,  uii 
most  iiomim 
^responsible  < 
fom  these  set 
ose  of  this 
ial  reguhitic 
e  repeal  of 


'or 


BY   THE    U«    E,   LOYALISTS* 


21 


M.  Biirwoll,  in  a  letter  to  C.  Cushiniif,  Esq.  of  the  A- 
mericau  Coni,n'ess,  iifives,  with  exultation,  the  Ibllowini^ 
extraet  iVoni  Gen.  Brock's  proclamation,  at  the  conimence- 
nient  of  the  late  war  :  ; 

"Let  no  man  suppose  that,  if  in  this  unexpected  striig- 
irle,  you  should  be  compelled  to  yield  to  an  overwlielmin^ 
iorce,  that  the  province  will  he  eventually  nbandoned. 
The  endeared  relations  of  }ls  J}n>t  settlers  ;  the  intrinsic 
tahic  of  its  commerce^  and,  the  pretentions  of  its  rival 
to  ])OSsess  Canada,  are  ■j)fcdv,cs,'"  c^c. 

'.riie  lirst  settlers,  so  alFectionately  mentioned,  were  the 
I'.  E.  JiOyalists  ;  men  who  iought  in  the  revolution  for 
tlio  KiiiL,^  against  the  ])eople;  lor  the  despotism  of  a  colonial 
ollicc,  against  the  liberties  of  their  country.  For  this  they 
v;cre  promised  a  reward  in  lands.  And  wliat  has  been 
their  treatment  ?  After  their  services  had  been  rendered, 
their  "endeared  relation"  was  forfrotten,  and  the  gift  was 
cloirged  Avilh  conditions  which  took  away  all  its  value.  Set- 
Vieiiient  duties  were  required  to  be  done,  to  a  certain  ex 
tent,  and  within  a  fixed  time,  or  the  gift  was  to  he  forfeit 
fd!  !  The  gift  was  first  made,  as  earned  by  \)!xsi  merit o- 
floiis  services^  and  then  taken  away,  under  pretence  of 
(ioii-com]^liance  with  <?a'-/;o5^ /ac^  requirements.  Many 
b;ul  not  the  means  of  complying  witii  these  conditions; 
«|ir1  all  Celt  that,  when  they  had  made  tlie  expenditure  on 
tjie  land,  it  was  luoiie^  and  labor  lost  without  any  certain 
pr  adecjuate  return.  It  would  be  shocking,  to  make  out  a 
'Cataloirue  of  false  certificates,  founded  on  perjury,  of  the 
Iperrorinance  of  seUlement  duties,  in  order  to  evade  an  op~ 
prossive  and  ungenerous  impost  upon  the  lands  of  U.  E. 
Loyalists.  But  thousands  of  these  "  endeared  relations," 
fiuiilng  their  "  gifts"  im])aired  in  value,  sold  them  to  land 
speculators  for  a  trifle.  After  some  years,  v/hen  the  U.  E. 
lands  had,  under  these  circumstances,  accumulated,  for  an 

most  nominal  value,  in  the  hands  of  speculators,  the  same 

responsible  government,  suddenly  relieved  all  these  lands 
p\n  these  settlement  duties  :  and  thus,  the  property  which 
lose  of  this  "  endeared  relation"  had  been  coerced,  by  of- 

ial  regulation,  to  part  with  at  a  trifling  value,  were,  by 
the  repeal  of  those  regulations,  at  once  raised  to  a  \\ig\\ 


1 1    d 

i  T 


^  I 


M 


•I 


i         ■:>. 


1      '.i 


«2 


SETTLEMENT    OF    t  TPKU   CANADA. 


f 


|l     I 


value,  without  rncumbrancc,  in  tlio  hands  of  purchasers 
Thus,  a  lew  havo  a<:,irraridizGd  iniinonso  estates,  at  the  ex 
pcnse  of  the  just  claims  o(  the  l.  K.'s— claims  whicii  Iiav, 
been  impoverisiied  by  the  vacillating  policy  of   a  venal,  . 
corrupt,  and  irresponsible  irovernmentj  foru:ctful  of  tho.^o,; 
''endeared  relations''  in  their  hour  of  need.     Some,  it  J; 
true,  less  driven  than  others  to  dispose  of  their  claims  fo;' 
what  they  would  yield,  awaited  the  icsult  of  time.     Wli;i[,i 
is  tlieir  condition?     They  must  accept  inferior  lands,  oi 
none !  !     If  they  desire  to  locate  in  favorable  and  ferti!'; 
townships,  they  are  told,  "  Tliese  arc  reserved  for  acliia 
settlers  only;^'  and,  if  unable  to  leave  the  homesteads  o 
their  earlier  days,  they  plead  ior  exemption,  on  the  s^rouiij 
of  these  '•  endeared  relations,"  they  are  coldly  repulsed,  an 
left  in  mortification  and  chas^rin,  to  abandon  the  '•  gift,"  <> 
take  it  in  remote  parts  of  the  wilderness — unreserved,  I* 
cause  of  little  or  no  value. 

Their  fate  was  no  better  after  the  late  war.    When  tliei 
services  were  wanted,  they  were  talked  to,  as  were  the  h 
dians.     They  were  called  '■  children  of  their  great  fatlicj 
across  the  great  waters."     Well, — they  fought ;  and,  at  tli 
close  of  the  war,  the  Prince  Regent  thanked  them  for  thq 
valuable  and  highly  appreciated  services.     They  fought  i 
that  war  to  maintain  the  "right  of  search,"  and  oppos 
"iree  trade  and  sailors'  rights" — that  is,  the  right  claime 
by  Great  Britain  to  board  American  vessels  at  sea,  exaniim 
their  papers,  passengers,  and  crew,  and  then  seize,  take  an 
carry  away  any  of  their  fellow  subjects,  who,  tired  of 
life  on  the  ocean,  were  joining  ihe  tide  of  emigration  tothi 
western  world.     Right  or  wrong,  they  fought  for  it ;  nii 
sustained,  in  the  contest,  great  loss  of  property.    The 
were  promised  that  they  should  be  paid  all  the  losses  the] 
had  sustained.     And  how  has  that  pledge  been  fulfilled  ? 

The  war  closed  in  1815 ;  and  in  1836,  after  the  laps 
of  upwards  of  twenty  years,  the  losses  were  paid,  alti 
great  deductions  from  the  assessed  value — and  paid,  toi 
out  of  their  own  pockets ! !  They,  the  sufferers,  we 
obliged  to  tax  themselves  to  pay  a  part ;  and  the  gover 
ment  professed  to  pay  the  rest — but  not  without  the  aid 


their  casua 
jsaid,  '-we 
but  h 


war, 
agam  forge' 


^  I 


cliasors 
the  ex 
li  hav, 
[I  vciinl, 
of  tlioje 
lie,  it  ii 
linis  for 
What 
ands,  oij 
1  iertilel 
•  iictiia 
:teads  ( 
)  Qfrouii 
Ised,  an 
2:1  ft,"  I 

rvedj 

hen  theij 
e  the  In] 
at  fatlicj 
tid,  at  till 
for  thcil 
fought 
d  oppo? 
t  clainiel 
examiiil 
take  aiij 
ired  of 
on  to  till 
r  it :  (111 
r.    The 
tsses  thel 
filled  ? 
the  lapsl 
aid,  altj 
>aid,  toj 
Ts,   weJ 
J  goved 
he  aid 


BY    THE   U.    E.    LOyALISTS. 


Zi 


tlicir  casual  and  territorial  revenue.  How  truly  they  have 
said,  *'we  were  promised  all  our  losses,  during  the  late 
war,  but  had,  in  the  end,  to  pay  ourselves."  This  \\  .>» 
agaui  forgetting  those  of  an  "  endeared  relation.'* 


M 


ii 


I. 


\ 


m 

h 


J 1'  : 


'■% 


f 


jfl 

'J 


% 


CHAPTER  II. 

Alien  Bill  and  Cleriry  Reserves. 


the  last  \vf 


am, 


and 


ci 


f  I' 


Hut  tbo  most  cruel  cut  of  all.  was  the  detesiahle  Altcn 
BUI  Alter  twice  fifrlitmii;  lor  Criiisli  suprcniacv,  tiiey  lii- 
tlethoucrlit  Uicy  should  survive  to  f)e  called  aliens  !  Bui 
fhey  were  coolly  told,  that  when  the  iiidcpendeiice  of  th'. 
Uuited  States  was  rccoirnized,  all,  without  distiiiCtioi]. 
domiciled  m  that  country,  becarue  citizens  of  it.  and  alien^^ 
to  Great  i3rit;iin.  The  treaty  of  peace  made  no  provision 
m  their  hohalf;  and  the  very  nation  for  vv'liich  they  had 
rou:{ht,  and  Vvdiosc  cause  they  had  espoused,  at  tlie  hazard  ol 
life  and  lortun;-  (or  eiglit  miserable  years,  made  them  aliens 
with  the  same  dash  of  the  pen,  Vvdnch  made  the  revolution 
ists  free.  Their  hearts  were  wrun^'  witii  ;ui  agony  of  feel- 
m^'.  But  it  was  the  just  retribution  of 'leaven,  to  punish 
them,  for  aidin:^  the  cruel  oppressor  in  cnslavins;  the  oppress- 
ed. Heaven  smiled  on  tiie  righteous  efforts  of  the  oppress- 
ed sons  of  h'eedom,  and  said,  "  be  FRin<:!''  be  hap|)y  and 
multiply;  but  to  the  oppressors,  the  enemies  oi"  liberty,  and 
the  rights  of  man,  ^-  Be  thou  in  thy  turn  op[")ressed  and  , 
humbled,  and  learn  the  difference  between  slavery  and  | 
freedom,."  [ 

The  U.  i^.'.s  had  lono;  cfloried  in  the  name  of  British  sub- 
jects ;  and  wcr^'  often  betrayed  into  insulting  expressions 
against  the  rep(ii)licans  as  aUcns.     But  if  it  Vv'as  on  their 
part  a  delusion,  it  was  not  without  excuse.     The  govern- , 
ment  professed  to  reixard  them  as  of  an  "endeared  relatioji:"' 
the  first  governor,  by  proclamation,  invited  them    as  suf- 
iccts;  and  m  tb.e  3ist.  Geo.  IH,  a  British  act  was  passed  int 
its  tone,  provisions  and  objects,   beu-uilinix  them  into  the! 
same  credulity.     Upon  the  faith  of  these  allurements,  thev, 
as  well  as  odier  American  born  similarly  situated,    set- 
tlea  ni  Canada;  and  performed  all  the  duties  and  oxer-: 
ciscd  all  the  rights  of  subjects,  both  in  peace  and  in  war.— 
They  fought  against  the  Americans  as  British  subjects  in 


them  for  ti 
act  to  dech 
to  invest  t 
"many  per 
^ca,  claimii 
I  their  alleo' 
tracts  of  1  ( 
'  by  inherit 
this  act  th( 
ted  States, 
allegiance 
,  cise  the  r 
der  strucl? 
that,  as  su 
obtained  L 
absolutely 
notcxercis 
sembly,  al 
ted  for  thi] 
the  provih 
their  enen 
saved  ther 
in.  Thiss 
using  thei 
discovery 
dispute  th 
dence  of  t 
to  envy  in 
for  rising 
the  more  li 
personal  e 
tain  Britis 
lations"  to 
in  makin 
felt  it  in  th 
"look  upo 
through  tl 
family  of 


CLERGY   RESKRVES. 


25 


la  Alicii 
liiey  lii- 
y  /  Bill 
:c  of  Ih'. 
tiiiCtioii. 
d  cilienj^ 
ro  vis  ion 
ley  had 
azarcl  ot 
11  aliens 
ohuioii 
^  of  feel - 
)  punish 
oppress- 
oppress- 
ppy  and 
rly,  and 
>sed  and  . 
ery  and  i 

Ush  sub- 
)rossion:5 
on  their 

o'overn- 
elatioii:"' 

as    sill;-, 
massed  ins 
into  tlic' 
Its,  thev, 
ted,    set- 
id  oxer- 
1  war. — 
jjects  in 


the  last  war,  never  dreaniini^,  that,  as  aliens  to  Great  Brit- 
ain, and  citizens  of  America,  tlie  Americans  niiixht  hang 
them  for  treason.  An  act  was  passed  in  1814,  entitled  '-an 
acttodeckire  certain  persons  therein  described,  aliens,  and 
to  invest  their  estates  in  liis  lunjesty"  and  it  recited  that 
"many  persons,  inhabitants  of  the  United  ^States  of  Aineri- 
ca,  chiiming  to  be  subjects  o(  his  iMajesty,  and  renewing 
their  allpo^iance  as  such  by  oath,  hadsohcited  and  received 
tracts  of  land  from  his  niajesiy,  or  become  seized  of  lands 
by  inheritance,  or  otherwise,  in  the  province,  i!v:c."  i'rom 
this  act  they  could  not  doubt  their  ri^^ht  to  leave  the  Uni- 
ted States,  claim  to  be  subjects  of  Mis  iVlajesty,  renew  their 
allegiance,  if  it  had  been  suspended,  jjoid  lands  and  exer- 
cise the  rights  of  subjects.  They  were,  therefore,  thun- 
der struck,  when,  in  1S25,  they  were  pronounced  aliens; 
that,  as  such  they  could  not  It  old  lands,  and  that  all  tides 
obtained  b^^  sales  through  them  v.  ere  so  tainted  as  to  be 
absolutely  null  and  void;  and  also  that,  as  aliens  tliey  could 
not  exercise  the  elective  francliiscjor  sit  in  ihe  House  oi' As- 
sembly, although  they  had  exercised  those  rights  undispu- 
ted for  thirty  years.  They  were  thrown  into  consic  motion; 
the  province  was  up  in  arms,  and  nothing*  but  tlie  tear  of 
their  enemies  and  the  patriotism  of  some  of  their  public  men, 
saved  them  from  disfrancliisenient,  and  the  country  from  ru- 
in. This  straniro  treatment.of  invitinn-  them  theic  as  sul.'i'Cts 
using  them  as  such  in  war,  and  in  peac  ;  making  the  great 
discovery  that  they  were  alien=^,  and  callin;^  into  wanton 
dispute  their  political  and  civil  riohis,  v/as  rather  ci^ld  evi- 
dence of  tiieir -'endeared  relations."  Had  they  not  much 
to  envy  in  the  country  they  left?  Who  can  hiamii  them 
for  rising  in  arms  ?  What  rendered  tlieir  circumstances 
the  more  keenly  lelt,  was  the  reflection,  that  after  iil!  i lieir 
personal  efforts  and  sacrifices,  durin<r  two  wars,  to  mdn- 
tain  British  supremacy;  their  acknowledged  ^'•ondca'cd  re- 
lations" to  that  supremacy,  had  no  other  effect,  th  i  i  (;;!.. Uy 
in  making  them  aliens.  It  was  mortify  in  o-.  mI  liiey 
lelt  it  in  the  extreme.  They  could  not,  as  one  o'  \  'p^ii!  :•  lid, 
"look  upon  i\\e  morning  sun,  or  follow  its  o;lori  ^r  <  .-in'se 
through  the  sky,  without  looking  towards  that  )  --p' lous 
family  of  republics,  whom  they,"in  the  folly  of  "     n-  p  ide 


3" 


II 


H 


'  i 


i-: 


J 


isiS 


,  ■■: 


i  ,:' 


.   =!< 


•I  i 


»     1*1 


I    '•■ 


I 


26 


ALIEN    BILL    AND 


f. 


^f,;^' 


.  (■; 


and  ignorance,  labored  hard  and  perseveringly  to  reduce 
to  their  own  degrading  state  of  coJonial  bondage,  without 
regret  and  remorse."  "They  felt  that  they  had  eaten  sour 
grapes,  and  that,lor  their  political  sins,  their  children's  teeth 
were  set  on  edo:e.  They  were  convinced  that  the  only 
atonement  they  could  make,  was  to  set  the  example  to  their 
offspring,  that  ^'•rehellionlo  tyrants  was  obedience  to  GocV^ 
They  have  done  so,  and  as  long  as  the  13ritish  hold  a  foot 
of  land  in  ISorth  America,  it  will  never  be  lost  sight  of.-^ 
The  blood  of  the  slaughtered  and  strangled  sons  ot  liberty; 
the  teais  of  widows  and  orphans,  the  anguish  of  those 
doomed  to  chains  and  slavery,  in  far  foreign  lands,  the  suf- 
ferings of  banished  exiles  in  foreign  climes;  with  the  sighs 
of  their  '■'  endeared  relations"  in  the  Canadas.  all  cry  aloud 
to  Heaven  for  venireance.  The  storm  may  appear  hushed 
for  the  present,  but  it  is  the  omnious  calm  preceding  a  vi- 
olent and  desolating  hurricane.  The  day  of  retribution 
will  come,  nnd  woe  to  him  who  dare  resist  it. 

The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  Simcoe  was  appointed 
tiie  first  governor  of  Upper  Canada,  and  of  whom  it  may  be 
truly  saicljthat  he  was  the  best  tiiey  ever  had.  The  constitu- 
tional act  of  which  he  was  both  the  bearer  and  the  first  ad* 
ministrator,  had  embodied  in  it,  as  jje  fairly  saw,  the  bane 
of  Canada's  future  peace  and  happiness,  viz:  an  establish- 
ed clergy  appropriation.  Some  years  p^revions  to  the  division 
of  the  province  of  (Quebec, into  the  upper  and  lower  province, 
the  Surveyor  General  had  orders  from  the  home  govern- 
ment, to  lay  out  the  Upper  province  into  districts;  these  into 
counties;  the  connties  into  townships  of  ten  miles  square; 
and  these  again  into  concessions,  containing  a  certain  num- 
ber  of  200  acre  lots.  The  patents  granted  for  tiie  lands 
thus  surveyed,  have  all  the  mines  they  might  contain,  and 
the  white  pine  which  grew  on  them,  reserved  for  the  use  of 
the  crown.  Gov.  Simcoe,  on  assuming  the  administration 
advertised  those  of  the  old  settlers,  who  had  received  pat- 
ents for  their  lands,  that  it  was  highly  necessary  that  they 
should  forthwith,  apply  to  the  proper  office  for  new  ones 
having  the  new  great  seal  of  the  upper  province  attached 
to  them.  They  did  so.  But  what  was  their  surprise,  and 
that  of  the  U.  E.  Loyalists  in  particular,  who  were  promised 


their  lands 
to  the  form 
their  far  m^ 

The  feel: 
ed  clergy  c 
stitution;  m 
1797,  ot  wl 

"Thatth 
this  pro  vine 
contrary  U 
said  his  kin 

«  That  n 
tween  man 
Oi  worship 
conscience 

"  That  tl 
of  the  land 
the  interest 
in  fringe  me 
Illation,  sul 
contrary  tf 

Such  we 
of  the  gov 
coe  advisc( 
ted  by  this 
mended   a 
ture  welfai 
to  reserve  ( 
seventh  o 
some  relie 
tablishmei 
was  highl; 
ward(jd  a } 
the  rcserv 
for  the  pur 
church,  if 
gious  jeal( 
open  re  be 
ation  of  h 
the  suppoi 


.11 


2 


ediiCG 
ithout 
n  sour 
s  teeth 

only 
y  their 
God.'' 
a  foot 
;  of. — 
berty; 

those 
le  suf- 
e  sighs 
aloud 
uished 
g  a  vi- 
butioii 

)ointed 
may  be 
)nstitu- 
irst  ad- 
e  bane 
ablish- 
ivisioii 
ovince, 
!:overn- 
^se  into 
?quare; 
1  nnm- 
i  lands 
n.  and 
3  use  of 
tration 
ed  pat- 
It  they 
\v  ones 
tached 
5e,  and 
omised 


CLERGY    RESERVES. 


27 


^ 


their  lands  free  from  ail  encumbrances,  when  in  addition 
to  the  former  crown  reserves,  tlioy  found  one-seventh  of 
their  farms  appropriated  for  Clergy  Reserves! 

The  feelings  engendered  by  this  unexpected. high  hand- 
ed clergy  clog, were  any  thing  but  friendly  to  the  new  con- 
stitution; meetings  were  held,  resolutions  were  adopted  in 
1797,  ot  which  the  following  are  extracts. 

"That  the  union  of  the  church  with  the  state  affairs  in 
this  province,  issubversive  of  the  true  interests  of  both,  and 
contrary  to  the  express  declaration  ofthe  Saviour,  who 
said  his  kingdom  was  not  of  this  world. 

"  That  no  civil  goverment  has  any  right  to  interft^re  be- 
tween man  and  his  Maker,  by  imposing  on  him  any  mode 
Oi  worship,  whetlier  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  his 
conscience  or  not. 

"That  the  endowments  of  any  church  with  one  seventh 
of  the  lands  of  this  magnificent  province,  is  detrimental  to 
the  interests  of  religion,  the  settlement  of  this  country,  an 
infringement  upon  the  just  rights  and  privileges  of  the  pop- 
ulation, subversive  of  its  future  peace  and  happiness,  and 
contrary  to  the  declared  wishes  of  its  inhabitants." 

Such  were  the  sentiments  entertained,  at  this  early  period 
of  the  government,  towards  an  established  clergy.  Sim- 
coe  advised  the  home  government,  of  the  bad  feeling  crea- 
ted by  tliis  ill  advised  appropriation,  and  ardently  recom- 
mended a  dilferent  disposition  of  it,  as  the  peace  and  fu- 
ture welfare  ot  the  province  required  it.  He  was  directed 
to  reserve  every  seventh  lot  or  concession  in  lieu  of  the  one 
seventh  of  every  lot.  The  inhabitants  considered  this 
some  relief:  yet  the  idea  of  imposi»V'T  on  them  a  clergy  es- 
tablishment, with  an  approprintion  in  any  shape  or  manner, 
was  highly  sjffiHing  to  their  feelings.  In  1.707  they  for- 
warded a  petition  to  the  Imperial  goveniincnt,  requesting, 
the  reserves  set  apart,  by  the  constitution,  to  be  disposed  of 
for  the  purpose  o(  general  education, — that  an  established 
church,  if  persisted  in,  would  kindle  party  strife,  and  reli- 
gious jealousies,  and  animosities,  and  finally  terminate  in 
open  rebellion.  This  was  answered  by  another  appropri- 
ation of  half  a  million  of  acres  of  the  people's  property  for 
the  support  of  a  grammar  school  in  each  district,  and  an  es- 


•  ■ 


H 


J  I 

t  i 


■  i. 


N  -l-i 


\f. 


J 


1 1- 


n 


w 


i  ;i 


a 


IH 


'       'i 


28 


ALIEN    BILL    AND 


f 


f 


l!   J 


esablished  church  college,  for  the  instruction  of  the  youth  | 
tin  the  faith  and  doctrines  of  the  King's  church. 

The  next  grievance  that  succeeded,  was  the  legitimate  | 
offspring  of  the  Ibrnier.  The  English  church  being  thus  | 
established,  by  the  constitution,  it  was  enacted  that  mar- 
riages pcribrmed  by  any  minister,  not  of  the  established  I 
order,  should  be,  to  all  intents  and  purposes  void,  and  the  | 
issue  illegitimate  ;  and  the  minister  olhciating,  should  on 
conviction,  be  liable  to  nne,  imprisonment,  or  banish- 
ment, at  the  discretion  of  the  court. 

On  the  first  establishment,  or  settlement  of  the  province, 
the  lav^orite  clergy  were  so  lew  and  far  betvyeen,that  the  gov- 
ernment, to  suit  tlie  convenience  of  the  settlers,  empowered 
magistrates,  not  residing  witiiin  eighteen  miles  of  an  estab- 
lished clergyman,  to  perform  that  duty ;  but  rather  than  en- 
courage the  former,  whose  creed  they  did  not  profess  ;  or 
employ  the  latter,  v/lio  were  generally  half  pay  Oflicers, 
and  men  of  rather  easy  morals,  hundreds  of  them,  adopted 
the  only  alternative,  crossed  into  the  United  States  with  the 
minister  oi  then-  own  profession,  and  there  were  married 
according  to  the  ceremony  of  their  respective  churchesl  I 
JNor  are  Dissenters,  even,  now,  permitted  to  marry  their 
ov/n  members,  until  they  prove  their  ordination,  obtain  a 
license  and  certificate  of  their  qualifications,  from  that  most 
miserable  of  all  courts,  the  magistrates  in  (Quarter  Sessions 
dissembled.  These  courts  are  admitted,by  all  who  ever  wit-  | 
ncssed  their  proceedings,  to  be  the  ne  plus  ultra  of  bigotry 
and  i.o:norance.  Many  of  the  magistrates,  until  lately, 
could  hardly  make  their  mark  ;  yet  they  are  the  learned  | 
body  whom  the  legislature  appointed  to  pronounce  upon 
tlio  qualifications  of  learned  Dissenting  ministers  !,  An- 
otlier  serious  evil  arising  from  the  same  source,  is,  that 
while  the  government  grants  a  salary  of  400  dollars  per 
annum  to  the  teachers  of  the  few  district  grammar  schools, 
none  but  professed  members  of  the  established  church  are 
allowed  to  ofliciate  !  And,  until  Gov.  Colbourne's  admin- 
istration, none  but  a  clergyman  of  that  church,  was  permit- 
ted to  officiate  as  chaplain  to  the  Assembly;  nor  was  any  ever 
allowed  to  perform  the  duties  of  an  executive  or  legislative 
councilman,  but  members  of  the  same  church.    A  con-. 


11 ! 


etfiHGf  I^ESERVES. 


29 


youth 

itimate 
\g  thus 
It  mar- 
blished 
md  the 
)iild  on 
vanish- 


ovince, 
he  gov- 
Dwered 
I  estab- 
lan  eri^ 
3SS  ;  or 
)ilicers, 
idopted 
riih  the 
aarried 
irches'. 
^  their 
>btain  a 
at  most 
essions 
er  wit- 
3igotry 
lately, 
earned 
3  upon 
I    An- 
s,  that 
irs  per 
jhools, 
ch  are 
dmin- 
ermit- 
y  ever 
jlative 
L  con- 


s 


ndction  with  it  was  the  only  passport  to  offices  of  trust, 
honor  or  emolument.  Their  clergymen  were,  besides  their 
respective  portions  of  emoUiments  arising  from  the  15,000,- 
000  clergy  reserves,  paid  by  the  home  government  eight 
hundred  dollars  eacli,  yearly,  for  officiating  once  a  week,  if 
the  weather  would  permit  his  reverence  to  ride  in  a  cush- 
ioned buggy  to  church,  while  the  ministers  of  the  Scotch 
established  Kirk,  Piesbyterian  dissenters,  Methodists,  Bap- 
tists, (fcc,  were  allowed  nothing.  Yet,  although  these  dis- 
senting ministers,  in  their  knovvledge,  morality,  and  use- 
fulness, were  admitted  to  be  as  far  superior  to  the  state 
paid  clergy,  as  the  light  of  reason  is  to  the  darkness  of 
ignorance,  they  were  nevertheless  compelled  to  undergo 
the  degrading  ordeal  of  a  mock  theological  examination, 
before  a  court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  of  half  pay  officers 
1  and  others,  as  ignorant  as  they  are  illiterate.  This  is  a 
part  of  the  blessed  effect  of  an  established  church — a  sore 
and  crying  evil. 

During  the  succeeding  administrations  of  Gov's.  Russcl, 
Hunter  and  Gore,  the  affairs  of  the  province,  as  each  suc- 
ceeded the  other,  assumed  a  still  more  serious  and  decisive 
character.  Restrictive  and  oppressive  measures  abounded. 
Taxes  were  levied  on  square  logged  and  framed  houses, 
brick  and  stone  houses,  and  chimneys;  on  cultivated  and 
uncultivated  lands  of  resident  holders,  while  non-residents 
were  exempt ;  on  horned  cattle,  and  horses  two  years 
old,  pleasure  wagons  of  every  description,  grist  and  saw 
mills,  (fcc,  besides  county  and  district  taxes.  In  fact  every 
thing  of  any  importance  was  taxed,  that  would  bear  being 
so.  The  choice  of  the  public  lands  were  frittered  away  in 
thousands  of  acres  to  executive  and  legislative  councillors, 
and  to  hungry,  worthless  minions  in  and  out  of  office. — 
Even  Gov.  Russel  granted  to  hmiself  "Peter  Russel,  Esq." 
ten  thousand  acres  of  the  waste  lands  of  the  cro  wn.  Pub- 
lic functionaries  sought  only  the  means  of  their  own  ag- 
grandizement in  the  oppression  of  the  poor  settlers.  A 
principle  of  sordid  grasping  was  manifested  in  every  de- 
partment. The  policy  pursued  by  the  executive  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  their  patronage  in  the  disposal  of  offices  and  crown 
a  nds,  exercised  a  corrupting  downward  influence.    The 

3* 


i 


'   '  »  t 

i4 


11 


l! 
til 

m 


1! 


1? 


I 

i 


'!( 


30 


ALIEN   BILL   AND 


f 


Stream  was  poisoned  at  the  fount.  From  the  governor, to  the 
lowest  functionary,  all  was  unmitigated  selfishness.  The 
more  respectable  class  of  emigrants  crossed  the  line  soon  I 
after  their  arrival  in  the  provmce,  and  the  expectations  of ' 
those  who  hoped  to  see  their  adopted  country  filled  with 
a  hardy,  enterprising  and  industrious  population,  backed 
by  men  of  capital  and  skill,  whereby  the  resources  of  the 
province  might  be  developed,  were  cruelly  disappointed. 

The  scandalous  abuses  which  existed  in  the  Land  granting 
department,  arrived  to  such  a  pitch  of  monstrous  magnitude 
that  the  home  government  felt  itself  imperiously  called 
upon  to  interpose  with  the  Land  council.  In  fact,  the  cor- 
ruptions, and  system  of  patronage  and  favoritism  pursued 
in  Gov.  Gore's  administration,  arrived  to  such  a  degree  of 
profligacy,  that  no  part  of  the  British  empire,  however  cor- 
rupt, ever  witnessed  the  like. 

The  poor  Scotch  Hi<rhlanders,  who  in  1797, 8  and  9  were 
driven,  by  distress  from  the  land  and  home  of  their  fore- 
fathers, and  to  whom  portions  of  land  were  promised, 
could  not,  in  consequence  of  their  distant  location  irom  the 
older  settlements,  want  of  roads,  the  poverty  of  the  settlers 
who  could  not  employ  or  furnish  them  with  the  means 
to  improve  their  grounds,  derive  any  benefit  from  them.— 
Hundreds  crossed  the  St.  Lawrence  to  gain  a  liveli- 
hood on  easier  terms.  Their  descendents  are  now 
wealthy  citizens,  many  of  them  filling  offices  of  honor  and 
emolument  under  the  best  and  happiest  government  in  the 
world.  The  legislature,  in  place  of  encouraging  settlers, 
by  expending  the  public  moneys,on  opening  roads  and  lines 
of  communication  between  the  newly  surveyed  townships 
and  the  old  frontier  settlements,  sought  only  plausible  pre- 
tensions, to  apply  them  to  their  own  selfish  purposes. — 
The  revenues  of  the  province  were  altogether  unaccounted 
for ;  the  settlers  left  to  make  their  own  roads  as  best  they 
could.  And  as  they  advanced  by  their  industry,  from  pov- 
erty to  competence,  government  taxed  them  accordingly. 
Their  commerce  was  restricted  to  the  home  market ;  heavy 
taxes  imposed  on  every  foreign  article,  tea,  sugar,  coffee, 
salt,  raw  and  manufactured  iron,  molasses  and"  liquors  of 
every  description.   Large  sums  were  thus  annually  raised, 


J  ttswell  by 

rectly  acco 

a  liberal  m 

on  a  respoi 

I  eral  paper, 

I  office,  was 

I  to  the  go\ 

I  were  unnoi 

I  each  succe< 

|ing  in  nat 

I  ruthless  mi 

j  press.  Thu 

i  to  worse,  u 

I  at  best,    is 

I  can  befall  { 

I  halted  by  a 

I  harbinger  c 

I  and  oppres: 

I    Sir  Georj 

I  in  Chief  of 

I  bemg  well 

I  provinces, 

|tionof  the 

I  ly  turn  out 

I  a  redress  of 

ijsation  for  a 

P  contest — a 

wounds  or 

ble  effect  c 

was  over,  t 

required,  i\ 

Igotten,  and 

lappointmei 

General  S 

Upper  Car 

Highlands 

Anglo  Cm 

I  be  easily 


I     » 


^mi 


CLERGY  RESBRVE9. 


31 


nitude 
called 
he  cor- 
ursued 
^ree  of 
er  cor- 

9  were 
ir  fore- 
)mised, 
om  the 
settlers 
means 
tiem.— 
liveU- 
e  now 
lor  and 
t  in  the 
settlers, 
id  lines 
/-nships 
ble  pre- 
oses. — 
counted 
3St  they 
3  m  pov- 
•dingly. 
heavy 
coffee, 
luors  of 
\f  raised, 


ftswell  by  other  local  taxation,  which  were  neither  cor- 
rectly accounted  for,  nor  judiciously  expended.  Mr.  Weeks, 
a  liberal  member  of  the  Assembly,  was  shot,  for  insisting 
on  a  responsible  government.    Mr.  Wilcox,  editor  of  a  lib- 
eral paper,  for  exposing  the  barefaced  corruptions  of  men  in 
office,  was  compelled  to  abscond.     The  people-'s  affection 
to  the  government  was  fast  decaying,  for  their  petitions 
were  unnoticed  or  disregarded ;  their  grievances  increased 
each  succeeding  year ;  their  country,  fertile  in  soil,  abound- 
ing in  natural  resources— was  prostrated  and  ruined  by 
ruthless  minions,  whose  places  in  office  gave  power  to  op- 
I  press.  Thus  the  affairs  of  the  province  progressed  from  bad 
I  to  worse,  until  the  declaration  of  war  in  June,  181^.  War, 
at  best,    is  looked  upon    as    the  greatest  calamity  that 
I  can  befall  any  nation,  but  at  i\\h  particular  crisis,  it  was 
I  haited  by  a  great  majority  of  the  Upper  Province,  as  the 
I  harbinger  of  their  final  deliverance  from  colonial  misrule 
I  and  oppression. 

I  Sir  George  Provost,  Governor  Geneial,  and  Commander 
I  in  Chief  of  British  North  America,  at  this  eventful  period, 
I  being  well  aware  of  the  defection  of  the  majority  in  both 
I  provinces,  issued  a  proclamation,  promising,  at  the  termina- 
ition  of  the  war,  grants  of  land  to  all  who  should  volunt  ari- 
I  ly  turn  out  in  defence  of  his  majesty's  crown  and  dignity, 
I  a  redress  of  all  real  or  supposed  grievances,  a  full  compen- 
|sation  for  any  loss  they  might  sustain  during  the  unequal 
contest — a  pension  during  life  to  those  who  should  receive 
wounds  or  be  otherwise  disabled.  This  had  a  considera- 
ble effect  on  the  French  Canadians.  But  when  the  war 
was  over,  the  object  obtained,  and  their  services  no  longer 
required,  these  sounding  piomises,  were  as  usual,  soon  for- 
gotten, and  the  poor  hahitans  left  to  chew  the  cud  of  dis- 
appointment. A  similar  proclamation  was  addressed  by 
General  Sir  Isaac  Brock,  to  the  subjects  of  the  Province  of 
iUpper  Canada,  which,  (except  upon  the  Glengarry  Scotch 
Highlanders,)  made  little  or  no  impression  on  the  Upper, 
Anglo  Canadians,  whose  defection  was  too  deeply  rooted  to 
be  easily  removed. 


■•Pi 


^ 


i 


i; 


%  i 


.-.'■\ 


% 


■  V. 


■?;?■ 


M 


i 


f 


CHAPTER  III. 

Glengarry,  and  its  settlement  by  the  Highlanders. 


It  may  not,  perhaps,  be  amiss,  in  this  place,  to  give  the 
reader  a  brief  history  of  the  settlement  of  Glengarry,  by 
these  once  exiled  Highlanders. 

Shortly  after  the  defeat  of  the  Chevalier  Prince  Charles 
Edward,  at  the  memorable  battle  of  CiiUoden,  on  the  16th 
April,  1716,  where  the  Highland  claymore,  for  the  first 
time,  proved  ineffectual  against  the  bayonet  and  superior 
discipline;  and  all  hopes  of  rallying  the  routed  clans  was 
given  up,  the  Prince,  after  a  consultation,  deemed  it  neces- 
sary to  dismiss  his  remaining  faithful  adherents,  with  or- 
ders to  disperse  by  different  ways,  that  their  enemies  might 
be  baffled  by  the  variety  of  their  routes.  Hundreds,  rath- 
er than  trust  to  the  clemency  of  their  enemies,  of  which 
they  had  had  a  dreadful  example,  in  the  indiscriminate 
slaughter  of  men,  women,  and  children,  for  thirty  miles 
square,  repaired,  with  all  possible  secrecy,  to  the  different 
seaports,  and  there  embarked  for  the  American  colonies. 
On  their  arrival,  they  sought  out  the  settlements  of  their 
proscribed  countrymen,  the  patriots  of  1715,  and  there  set- 
tled ;  some  in  the  province  of  New- York,  and  others  in 
the  colony  of  Virginia. 

la  a  few  years,  alter  the  fury  of  the  royalists  ceased, 
and  neighbor  began  to  repose  confidence  in  neighbor;  the 
celebrated  heroine,  Flora  McDonald,  and  her  gallant  hus- 
band, embarked  for  the  latter  place,  to  spend  the  remainder 
of  a  singularly  chequered  and  romantic  life  with  her  exiled 
countrymen,  in  the  bosom  of  the  gigantic  forests  of  America. 
Previous  to  their  embarking,  (on  account  of  her  unexam- 
pled faithfulness,  unshaken  and  virtuous  adherence,  thro' 
good  and  evil  report,  in  concealing  and  conducting  through 
dangers  and  perils  almost  incredible,  the  hunted  and  per- 
secuted Prince,  for  whom,  by  a  royal  proclamation,  thirty 
thousand  pounds  was  offered,)  in  approbation  of  such  hero- 
ic conduct,  the  reigning  family  conferred  upon  her  several 


iokens  of  th 
>r  afterwari 
riolence  of 
ranced  age, 
lo  the  royal 
to  Scotlanc 
less.    She 
t;iie  called 
md  in  the 
kiiain  neutr 
jither  side, 
broad  swor 
i  ven  will,  ul 
energies  fai 
country's  ri 
I  armed  with 
\  and  with  h( 
j  ed  sons  of 
I  deeds  of  Vt 
I  in  the  pagei 
Ithesons,  M; 
j  in  many  a 
I  not  quite  ex 
•  descendant: 

I  jamong  the  ] 
But  thei] 

York,  were 
Howe,  the 
in  North  Ai 
joined  the  ( 

I I  the  oppose] 
Johnstone 
James  Craij 
Lieut.  Don 
induce  the 
convince  tt 
their  doins 

They  pe 
rebels  had  r 
possible  tht 


SETTLEMENT  OP  GLENGARRY, 


33 


^ive  the 
irry,  by 

Charles 
he  16th 
he  first 
uperior 
\ns  was 
t  neces- 
vith  or- 
s  might 
Is,  rath- 
f  which 
iminate 
ty  miles 
Ufferent 
olonies. 
of  their 
lere  set- 
thers  in 

y 

ceased, 
bor;  the 
mt  hus-  j 
nainder  i 
r  exiled 
merica. 
nexam- 
e,  thro' 
hrough 
nd  per- 
,  thirty 
h  hero- 
several 


okensof  the  royal  favor,  for  which  she  proved  grateful  ev- 

r  afterwards.     When  the  revolution  broke  out,  in  all  the 

iolence  of  civil  war,  her  husband,  in  consequence  of  ad- 

anced  aire,  and  the  personal  obligation  they  were  under 

o  the  royal  House  of  Hanover,  urged  her  return  with  him 

0  Scotland,   to  enjoy  the  sere  ot  life  in  peace  and  quiet- 

less.    She  complied.     But  a  little  prior  to  their  departure, 

he  called  upon  her  exiled  coinilrymen  for  the  last  time, 

ud  in  the  most  atfectionate  manner,  enjoined  them  to  re- 

mill  neutral,  if  possible  ;  but  if  compelled  to  bear  arms  on 

ither  side,  by  all  means,  to  throw  the  weight  of  their  good 

Dread  swords  in  the  scales  of  freedom;  for,  said  she,  i'hea- 

vcn  will,  ultimately,  crown  with  success,  if  their  hearts  and 

energies  fail  not,  the  heroic  efforts  of  the  assertors  of  their 

country's  rights;  especially,  as  in  the  present  instance,  when 

armed  with  justice  and  truth."  They  understood  her  well, 

and  with  heart  and  soul,  embraced  the  cause  of  the  oppres- 

ed  sons  of  liberty ;    of  whom   the  chivalric   M'Donald's 

deeds  of  valor  and  daring  exploits,  are  uidelibly  recorded 

in  the  pages  of  the  revolution.     The  gallant  Monroes,  Ma- 

|thesons,  Mac  Kays,  and  Gunns,  also  convinced  the  British 

in  many  a  hard  fought  battle,  that  their  martial  ardor  was 

not  quite  extinguished  in  the  bloody  field  of  Culloden.  The 

I  descend  ants  of  these  hardy  exiles,   are  at  this  day  classed 

among  the  most  reputable  citizens  of  Virginia. 

But  their  copatriots,  who  settled  in  the  colony  of  New 

York,  were  not  so  fortunate  in  their  determination.     Gen. 

Howe,  the  then  commander  in  chief  of  the  British  forces 

in  North  America,on  hearing  that  the  Scots  in  Virginia  had 

joined  the  continentals,  and  were  among  the  most  active  of 

the  opposers  of  British  domination,  despatched  Sir  John 

Johnstone  to  the  Scots  settlement  on  the  Mohawk — Capt. 

James  Craig,  afterwards  Governor  of  Lower  Canada,  and 

Lieut.  Donald  Cameron  of  the  Regulars,  to  other  parts,  to 

induce  the  Highlanders  to  join  the  Royal  standard,  and  to 

convince  them,  that  their  interest  and  safety  depended  on 

their  doing  so. 

I     They  persuaded  the  uninstructed  Highlanders,  that  the 

j  rebels  had  neither  money,  means,  nor  allies;  that  it  was  im- 

I  possible  they  could  for  any  length  of  time,  withstand  the 


;  I  ■' 


•    « 


'.M 


I 


i  f  0 


»' 


'i     If 


. :  -i 

1*: 

■1:: 

■1^ 


'iii:  '<■ 


I? 


IH 


!■,' 


;5  ;;; 


^(I^! 


34 


BY   THE    niGIILANDIiRS. 


f 


ii 


mi^rhty  power  and  means  of  Great  Britain;  that  their  prop 
erty  would  be  confiscated,  and  apportioned  to  the  loyahsts 
who  should  vohniteer  to  reduce  them  to  subjection.  'Ilic 
Hiidilanders  havinij:  duly  weii,died  these  circumstances,, 
came  to  the  conclusion,  tliat  the  xlmericans  would,  like  the 
Scots,  in  1740,  he  ultimately  overpowered  ;— that  it  was, 
iherelbre,  to  their  interest,  as  they  would  not  be  permitted 
to  remain  neutral,  to  join  the  Britisli  standard. 

The  i^Tcater  part  of  them  volunteered  under  the  com- 
mand of  Sir  J.  Johnstone,  and  served  faithfully  with  him 
until  the  peace  of  1783.  On  the  exchan^^e  of  the  ratifica- 
tion of  peace,  these  unfortunate  iliohUinders,   saw   them. 


lans  and  ini 
is  countryi 
tates. 

The  govei 
ry  assistanc 
reasonably  1 
nunicating  i 
rymen;  and 
lim  to  their 
er,  propose( 
or  his  servic 
)f  the  chief  ( 


selves  once  more  bereft  of  house  and  liome.  The  |^j  ^^  y^g  ^, 
reward  of  their  loyalty,  and  attachment  to  British  suprema-  ^jj^^,g  jjj.^|.  ^j. 
cy,  after  fighting  the  battles  of  England  for  seven  long  and  \^^^^q  prosci 
doubtful  years/and  sacrifiicng  their  all,  was  finally,  an  mi-  descendants  ^ 
generous  abandonment  by  the  British  government  of  their'  ^j^^^g  of  Glei 
nitercsts.  in  not  securing  then-  projierty  and  personal  safety,!  ince  to  ^he 
in  the  treaty  of  peace.  The  object  for  which  their  services  ^^  of  Blood\ 
were  rcijuired,  not  being  accomplished,  they  were  ^i^^cere- |j|^J.jgjjj^j!j  ^^j., 
moniously  left  to  shift  for  themselves  in  the  lower  Pi"oviiicc,|t^jj.JQjg  ^^^j 
among  a  race  of  people,  whose  language  they  did  not  "»•  |j^gj^j^,j  pj,jjj 
derstand,  and  whose  manners  and  habits  of  life  were  qniteli^j  goucrht 


dissimlar  to  their  own.     Col.  McDonald,  a  near  kinsmaiii 


reons  and  bl 


of  the  chief  of  that  name,  and  who  had,  also,  taken  an  ac';*^  t.  «rnc.  vlr^f 

ive  part  m  the  royal  army,  during  the  revolution,  commis 

orating  their  unfortunate  condition,  collected  them  together, 

and  in  a  friendly  manner,  in  their  own  native  language,  in 

formed  them,  that  if  it  were  agreeable  to  their  wishes,  he? 

would  forthwith  apply  to  the  governor  for  a  tract  of  land 

in  the  upper  Province,  where  they  might  settle  down  in  a 

body ;  and  wliere,  as  they  spoke  a  language  different  to  thati 

of  the  natives,  they  might  enjoy  their  own   society,  and  be[ 

better  able  to  assist  each  other. 


lor  their  lov 
ake  up  arm 
he  insurrect 
iberty,  as  tl 
)een  to  themi 
anks  of  thi 
lealt  with  in 
jhagrin  was 
heir  former 


This,  above  all  things,  was  what  they  w^ished  for,  and  ^qj.|j  ^^^^^ 
they  thereto  re  received  the  proposal  with  gratitude.     With-   r^^^    'when 
out  much  farther  delay,  the  Colonel  proceeded  to  the  uppei   hemselves  t 
Province,  pitched  upon  the  eastern  part  of  the  eastern  Dm  ^^  promises 
trict;  and  after  choosing  a  location  for  himself,  directed  hisi  ner  exoerier 
course  to  head  (quarters— informed  the  Governor  of  hm^  ^^^  ^^^^^ 


SETTLEMENT  OP  GLENGARRY, 


35 


jir  prop 
loyalists 
1.     'llic 
istances,, 
like  the 


)laris  and  intentions,  praying  hip  to  confirm  the  request  of 
lis  countrymen,  and  prevent  tlieir  return  to  the  United 
tates. 

The  governor  approved  of  his  design,  and  promised  ev- 

fery  assistance.     Satisfied  that  all    was  done,  that  could 

It  was,  I    ^gQj^jjIjjy  lyQ  expected,  the  Colonel  lost  no  time,  in  com- 

3rmitte(l  |^m^i(,.^tijjg  the  result  of  liis  mission  to  his  expectant  coun- 

Irymen;  and  they,  in  a  short  time  afterwards,  removed  with 

he  com- 1 jj^.^  j^  ^^jgj^.  j^^^  location.     The  Highlanders,  not  long  af- 


ith  him 


er,  proposed  to  the  Colonel  as  a  mark  of  their  approbation 


^^^j^^^' fbr  his  services,  to  call  the  settlement  Glengarry^  in  honor 
3  rf,"^H)f  the  chief  of  his  clan,  by  which  name  it  is  distinguish- 
^*  ^^  3d  to  this  day.  It  may  be  proper,  to  remember,  in  this 
upitxiua-  )iace,  that  many  of  these  were  the  itrnnediate  descendants 
ong  and  jf  ^^q  proscribed  Highlanders  of  1715,  and  not  a  few  the 
/■,  an  uii-^  lescendants  of  the  relatives  of  the  treacherously  murdered 
01  their  jjj^j^g  of  Glencoe  (for  their  faithful  and  incorruptible  adher- 
il  salety,[5  ^^^^^  ^^  t;^g  royal  family  of  Stuart,)  by  King  William  the 
services  gd^  of  Bloody  memory,  the  Dutch  defender  of  the  English 
^uncere-  j^iiristian  tory  laith.  But  by  far  the  major  part,  were  the 
^^^"^^'"^^  kitriots  of  1746, — the  gallant  supporters  of  the  deeply  la- 
not  '^in|tjented  Prince  Charles  Edward,  and  who,  as  before  stated, 
u:^,?™'!^^^^  sought  refuge  in  the  colonies,  from  the  British  dun- 
geons and  bloody  scaffolds. 

It  was  not,  therefore,their  attachment  to  the  Britsh  crown, 
ior  their  love  of  British  institutions,  that  induced  them  to 
ake  up  arms  against  the  Americans  ;  but  their  fears  that 
he  insurrection,  would  prove  as  disastrous  to  the  sons  of 
liberty,  as  the  Rebellion  and  the  fatal  field  of  Culloden  had 
01  lami  jggj^  jQ  themselves;  and  that  if  any  of  them  were  found  in  the 
)wn  ma  ,,^j^j^g  ^^  ^1^^  discontented,   they  would  be  more  severely 
iL  lu  \Am^  |g^l|.  ^^i^j^  -j^  consequence  of  their  former  rebellion.    Their 
J,  ana  Dei,  jhagrin  was  great  indeed,  especially,  when  they  compared 
J  heir  former  comfortable  circumstances,  in  the  state  of  P^ew 
W"?!  ^^^^^'  ^'\\}i\  their  present  miserable  condition;  and  particu- 
•  \  arly,  when  they  reflected  how  foolishly  they  had  permitted 

he  uppci|  hemselves  to  be  duped,  out  of  their  once  happy  homes  by 
tern  Ljisi  |^g  promises  of  a  government,  which  they  knew  from  lor- 
L :  ^^r  experience,  to  be  as  false  and  treacherous,  as  it  was  cru- 
^  il  and  overbearing.    They  settled  down,  but  with  no  very 


kinsman; 
1  an  aC 
commis-i 
tooetheri 
uage,  in{ 
hel 


tr  of 


N 


'I 


|i 


I'i 


f::| 
\l 


1.    U    ., 


ai 


- 


;i! 


ff    I' 


\\Y   THE    HIcaiL ANDERS. 


36 


f< 


friendly  feelings  towards  a  frovcrument  which  had  allured 


thorn  to  iluMT  riiiii, 


resources,  a 


md  which  at  last,  leit  them  to  their  own 
Iter  nuhtiiiii:  tlieir  hattlcs  lor  eight  sanguinary 
years.  Nor  are  their  descendants,  at  this  day,  remarkable! 
for  either  their  loyaltv,  or  attachment,  to  the  reigning  fami- 
ly. 'I'hese  were  the  lirst  settlers  of  Glengariy.  It  is  a  sin- 
gular circumstance,  that,  nearly  all  the  Highlanders,  who 
i-iinght  for  liberty  and  independence,  and  who  remained  in 
the  I).  S.,  alterwards  became  rich  and  independent,  while 
on  the  other  hand,  with  a  very  few  exceptions,  every  indi- 
vidual,  whether  American  or  European,  who  took  up  arms 
against  the  revolution,  became  blighted  in  his  prospeects. 
Witness  the  U.  E.  Loyalists  ol  Upper  Canada;  the  refu- 
gees of  New  lirunswiek  and  Nova  iScotia.  It  seems,  as  if, 
a  curse  had  been  entailed  npon  them  and  their  children. 

The  second  class  of  Highland  emigrants  that  settled  in 
Glengarry,  although  oi  another  description,  were  as  much 
liarrassed  and  as  much  the  dupes  ot  the  British  govern- 
ment, as  the  former.  Immediately  at'ler  the  battle  of  Ciil- 
loden,  the  feudal  system,  which  in  the  highlands  of  Scot- 
land, was  based  on  the  inutu;d  interest  of  the  chieftain  and 
vassal,  being  then  entirely  dissolved,  the  highland  chief 
saw  no  reason  why  he  should  any  longer  keep  up  his  pride 
by  retaining  a  numerous  clan.  He,  therefore,  determined, 
to  rid  himself  of  his  poor  dependants  and  let  his  premises  to 
a  more  productive  class  of  tenantry.  It  was  not,  therefore, 
uncommon  to  see  from  one  to  two  hundred  families  turned 
adrift,  and  the  farms  which  they  had  occupied,  converted  in- 
to one  sheep  walk,  for  the  accomodation  of  a  southern  shep- 
herd; or,  as  it  was  termed  in  the  country,  a  hundred  and 
fifty  or  two  hundred  flighland  smokes  going  through  oney 
English  chimney.  The  poor  people  were  thus  disposses- 
sed of  their  small  farms,  and  compelled  to  dispose  of  their 
stock  for  little  or  nothing,  because  there  were  no  persons 
to  purchase,  but  those  who  supplanted  them.  In  this  dis- 
tressed situation  they  were  cist  on  the  world.  Ignorant  of 
any  other  lanirnao^e,  but  their  own  native  Gaelic,  and  never 
having  travelled  beyond  the  limits  of  their  native  vallies; 
they  were  perfect  strangers  to  the  ways  and  manners  oi 
the  World.    The  few  that  could  muster  means  to  pay  their 


passage  to . 

were  ufraic 

The  Hri 

from  the  A 
from  the  hi 
ed  men  as  t 
orders  wen 
who  were 
pressed,  ha 
separated  f 
son,  the  sol 
ternal  arnu 
no  longer  i 
the  low^lanc 
quence  of 
In  this  dep 
Alexander 
ihem  as  she 
native  cou! 
he  conceive 
ble  corps 
McDonell 
vice  was  a( 
no  sooner 
out.     The 
vide  and 
composed 
countrv.  to 
blood,  and 
erty.     The 
il's  bloodb 
of  climbin 
advantage 
in  a  few  i 
from  a  thoi 
numbers  s( 
court,  and 
er  Irish  ch 
led  or  take 
of  his  renij 


SETTLEMENT   OP   GLEN(.ARIIV. 


37 


passage  to  America,  whither  they  were  desirous  to  emigrate 
were  u('r»\i(l  to  venture  on  the  sea. 

The  British  cruisers  and  ships  of  vv.ir  had  positive  orders 
from  tfie  Admiralty  to  prevent  the  (u  parture  of  emigrants 
Irom  the  highmds  oi'ScoUand,  and  to  press  such  able  bodi- 
ed men  as  they  found  on  board  the  eiuigrant  ships.  These 
orders  were  carried  into  execution,  and  luindreds  of  them, 
who  were  foolhardy  enough  to  venture  on  the  ocean,  were 
pressed,  lialf  seas  across, — th(5  father  and  husband,  forcibly 
separated  forever  from  the  wife  and  (  hildren  ;  the  widow's 
son,  tlie  solace  and  stay  of  his  mother,  dragged  from  her  ma- 
ternal arms.  On  the  arrival  of  tliis  news,  the  Ilighlandert; 
no  longer  attempted  to  emigrate  ;  they  wandered  throiiijh 
the  lowlands  for  employment,  but  could  find  little  in  conse- 
quence of  their  not  understanding  the  English  language. 
In  this  deplorable  situation,  the  reverend  and  philanthropic 
Alexander  McDonell  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  found 
ihem  as  sheep  without  a  shepherd,  and  as  strangers  in  their 
native  country.  Affected  by  their  distressed  circumstances, 
he  conceived  the  idea  of  getting  them  embodied  as  Fenci- 
ble  corps  in  his  majesty's  service,  with  the  young  chief 
McDonell  of'Gleno:arry,  for  their  Colonel.  A  letter  of  ser- 
vice was  accordingly  issued  to  raise  the  regiment.  It  was 
no  sooner  embodied,  than  the  rebellion  in  Ireland  broke 
out.  The  English  government,  true  to  their  motto  ;  "di- 
vide and  conquer,"  knowing  this  regiment  to  be  entirely 
composed  of  catholics,  ordered  them  to  that  unfortunate 
countrv.  to  imbrue  their  hands,  in  their  brother  catholic/s 
blood,  and  assist  in  annihilating  the  last  vesliofc  of  Irish  lib- 
erty.  These  Highlanders,  whom  the  Irish  called  the  dev- 
il's bloodhounds,  both  on  account  of  their  dress,  and  habit 
o(  climbing  and  traversing  the  mountains,  liad  greatly  the 
advantage  in  every  renconter;  so  much  so,  that  they  reduced 
in  a  few  months,  the  brave  Holt's  independent  Irishmen, 
from  a  thousand  strong,  to  a  few  scores.  Holt,  seein^i:  his 
numbers  so  fast  diminishing,  surrendered  to  Lord  Powers 
court,  and  was  transported  to  Botany  Bay.  Dwyer,  anoth- 
er Irish  chieftan,  after  almost  his  whole  party  had  been  kil- 
led or  taken,  was  at  length  surprised  in  a  house,  with  a  few 
of  his  remaining  followers,  by  a  party  of  the  Glengarries  ; — 


•  • 


.M 


i 


\. 


I 


ri 


38 


BY  THE    HIGHLANDERS. 


•J^  I 


J'" 


Here,  he  defended  himself,  and  killed  some  of  his  pursuers, 
till  the  house  being  set  on  fire,  he  was  shot  while  endeavor 
ins^  to  escape,  naked  ihrough  the  flames. 

The  Marquis  Cornwallis,  Lord  Lieutenant  of  Ireland, 
and  commander  of  the  forces,  was  so  well  pleased  with  the 
services  of  the  Glengarry  Fencibles,  that  he  recommended 
them  to  the  particular  notice  of  the  British  Government.— 
But  mark,  when  the  object  of  their  enlistment  was  accom- 
plished, and  government  had  no  farther  need  of  their  ser- 
vices, these  brave  men  were  disbanded,  with  a  bare  thank 
ye  !  ''What,"  said  one  of  these  gallant  sons  of  the  moun- 
tains, '-is,  'thank  ye,'  all  the  reward  we  are  to  receive  for  as- 
sisting to  reduce  the  patriot  Irish  catholics  to  English  sub- 
jection? it  may  do  very  well  for  an  Englishman,  but  it  is 
not  bread  for  a  Highlander." 

Thus  they  were  again   thrown  on  the  world,  but  with 
their  English  a  little  improved,  as  poor  and  destitute  as  ev- 
er.    Struck,  a  second  time,  with  their  forlorn  condition,  the 
Reverend  and  humane  Priest,  McDonell  proceeded  at  his 
own  expense  to  London,  to  represent  their  destitute  situation 
to  the  government,  and  to  endeavor  to  induce  the  mmisters 
to  lend  them  assistance  to  emigrate  to  Upper  Canada,  where 
many  of  their  j'riends  were  (dready  settled.     Mr.  Adding 
ton,  the  then  Premier,  expressed   his  deep  regret,  that  so 
brave  and  faithful  a  portion  of  his  majesty's  subjects,  who 
had  so  distinguished  themselves  in  their  country's  service, 
and  from  whom  no  murmurs  or  discontent  were  ever  heard: 
should  be  compelled  to  quit  their  native  soil  by  the  harsh 
treatment  of  tlie  irovernmcnt,  and  transfer  their  allegiance 
to  the  United  States; — and  promised  that  assistance  would 
be  irranted  them  to  proceed  to  Nova  Scotia,  New  Brunswick 
or  Cape   Breton:  but  assured  tlie  Rev.  McDonell  that  his 
majesty's  government  considered  the  hold  they  had  of  Up- 
per Canada,   ".90   slender  and  so  precarious,  that  he  did 
not  feel  himself  at  liheriy  to  assist  British  subjects  to, 
emigrate  to  that  colonyP     The  priest  replied,  that  if  as- 
sistance were  tendered  upon  a  liberal  scale,  it  would  allay 
the    irritated    feeiinas    entertained   by  the   Highlanders 
against  then-  landlords,  whose  cruel  conduct  was'identified 
with  the  system  and  operation  of  the  government.     More- 


Jo  ver,  the 
state,  and 
publican 

;  ish  goveri 
tion  into  t 
creased,  a 
parental  ( 
Addingtor 
sign  mam 
200  acress 
in  the  pro^ 
land  Chie 
alluremen 
act  of  Par 
the  Highl 
represente 

I  tain  by  p( 
state,  that 
and  deadh 
ately,  how 
Mr.'McD( 
On  their  i 
their  frien 
httle  of  fri 
tiers  had, 
descenden 


SETTLEMENT  OF  GLENGARRY 


39 


pursuers,! 
jndeavor 

f  Ireland, 
i  with  the 
nmended 
nment.— 
is  accom- 
their  ser- 
re  thank 
ne  n70un- 
ve  for  as- 
jlish  sub- 
but  it  is 

but  with 
ute  as  ev- 
htion,  the 
ed  at  his 

situation 
ministers 
ia,  where 
.  Addins: 
t,  that  so 
ects,  who 
's  service, 
or  heord: 
lie  harsh 
llegiance 
ce  would 
runs  wick 

that  his 
d  ofUp-i 
it  he  did 
hjects  to 
Kit  if  OS- 
[lid  allay  ^ 
hlanders 
identified 
.     ]More- 


over,  the  Scots  quitting  their  country  in  this  exasperate( 

readilv  imbibed  re 


state,  and  settling  in  the  United  States 
publican  principles,  and  a  detei mined  a 
ish  government ; 


ntipatiiy'to  the  Brit- 
whereas,  by  diverting  the  tide  of  emigra 
tion  into  the  British  colonies,  their  population  would  be  in- 
creased, and   their  affections  mijjht  be  reconciled,  by  the 

Iparental  conduct  of  the  government  towards  them.     Mr. 

fAddington  at  length  procured  for  him  an  order,  with  the 
sis^n  manual,  to  the  Lieut.  Gov.  of  U])per  Canada,  to  grant 
200  acress  of  land  to  every  one  of  them  who  should  arrive 
in  the  province.  This  was  no  sooner  known,  than  the  High- 
land Chiefs  took  the  alarm,  and  considered  this  offer  as  an 

|allurement  to  entice  their  vassals  away.  They  procured  an 
act  of  Parliament  against  emigration,  partially  compelling 

ithe  Hiirhlanders  to  enlist  in  the  reo;ular  service.  Thev 
represented  in  strong  terms  the  loss  his  majesty's  would  sus- 
tain by  permitting  them  to  emigrate  in  their  exasperated 
state,  that  they  would  become  citizens  of  the  United  States, 
and  deadly  enemies  to  the  British  .p^overnment.  Fortun- 
ately, however,  before  the  bill  went  into  operation,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  McDonell  procured  shipping  for  a  number  of  them. — 

I  On  their  arrival  at  (Quebec  they  proceeded  immediately  to 

I  their  friends  in  Glengarry,  where  they  settled  down  with  as 
little  of  friendly  feelinir  to  words  the  British,  as  the  first  set- 
tiers  had,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  few  in  office,  their 
descendents  are  not  remarkable  for  their  loyalty  to  this  day. 


•  il 


M 


'■M 

.-  i-  ■ 


1« 


i  ::' 


^^S  I    III 


;v       '     A 


•4 


1 


I 


t 


.  il 


CHAPTER  IV. 

War  of  1812. 


We  will  now  return  to  the  w;ir  of  1812,  and  show  its 
pro<rressivc  eifccts  on  the  people  of  the  Upper  Province. 

The  principal  grounds  of  this  war,  as  set  forth  in  Presi- 
dent Madison's  message,  were  certainly  as  urgent  as  they 
were  honorable,  viz:  "'Sailors'  rights  and  free  trade."  Had 
the  governiiient  of  the  United  States,  in  the  prosecution  of 
the  war,  been  supported  by  the  united  energies  of  the  na- 
tion, as  it  ought  to  have  beon^  tlie  object  for  which  it  was 
undertaken  would  most  unquestionably  have  been  attained; 
and  Canada  would  have  become  free  and  independent. — 
The  want  of  energetic  leaders  in  the  American  army,  at 
the  onset,  was  deeply  regretted  by  the  oppressed  Canadians. 

Sir  George  Provost,  Governor  General  of  British  North- 
America,  on  receiving  the  official  account  of  the  declaration 
of  war,  was  taken  by  surprise.  However,  without  the  least 
delay  he  exerted  every  possible  means  to  place  the  Provin- 
ces in  as  defensible  a  position  as  i\w  suddenness  of  the  no- 
tice and  his  limited  means  would  admit.  He  addressed  a 
circular  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Bishops  of  the  Lower  Pro- 
vince, reminding  them,  in  the  most  expressive  language,  of 
the  great  and  undisturbed  religious  privileges  they  had  en- 
joyed under  the  benign  influence  of  the  British  govern- 
ment, and  solemnly  pledged  himself  that  the  Royal  favor 
would  be  more  munificently  extended  towards  them  in  the 
event  of  their  exerting  their  pastoral  influence  with  the  cler- 
gy and  laity,  in  support  of  the  Crown  and  the  defence  of 
the  country  against  the  invasion  of  the  enemy.  These  cir- 
culars, in  a  great  measure,  had  the  desired  effect.  Another 
letter  was  written  to  Priest  M'Donell,  of  Glengarry,  urging 
him,  in  the  strongest  manner,  to  arouse  the  military  enthu- 
siasm of  his  warlike  countrymen,  and  assure  them  that  his 
Majesty  placed  the  utmost  confidence  in  their  loyal  attach- 
ment to  his  Crown  and  royal  person.  This  reverend  divine, 
who  was  himself  of  a  military  turn,  addressed  uie  High- 


landers, i 

and  rernin 

linents  of 

He  said  tli 

I  stimulate 

j  deeds  of  ] 

Jjesty's  gov 

i  tion  of  pen 

those  who 

I  made  con^ 

I  but  not  on 

ion  a  si  mill 

ho  their  ri 

flrorn  thoir 

I  promises,  ( 

|inorly  as  i\: 

In  the  n 

jimpressior 

1  George  Pj 

j  these  you 

nvas  readil 

-J  raise  the  c 

'|;ins  had  c 

J  lore  decm( 

^i    From  t! 

i  selected  f 

:  I  Glengarry 

I  sailors,  Er 

;.|a  sprinklii 

H  broken-do 

and  suffer 

of  the  con 

i  I  enlisted. 

I  celebrated 

I  at  the  con 

i  I  remarkabl 

llmises.     Y 

i  I  the  war  w 

lithe  Ameri 

I  the  many 

vince. 


\    • 


WAR   OP   1812. 


41 


how  its 

lice. 

I  Prcsi- 

as  they 

,"   Had 

ition  of 

the  na- 

it  was 

ttained: 

dent. — 

rmy,  at 

adiaiis. 

North- 

aratioti 

he  least 

Provin- 

the  no- 

ressed  a 

er  Pro- 

lage,  of 

had  en- 

^overn- 

il  favor 

1  in  the 

he  cler- 

^ence  of 

lese  cir- 

^nother 

urging 

enthu- 

that  his 

attach- 

divine, 

3  High- 


landers, immediately  after  mass,  calling  on  their  loyaltyj 
and  reminding  them  of  the  military  renown  and  achiev- 
ments  of  their  conntrymen  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe, 
lie  said  that  he  was  sure  the  spirit  of  their  ancestors  would 
stimulate  them  in  defence  of  their  country,  to  rival  them  in 
deeds  of  heroism  ;  that  ttiey  might  depend  upon  his  Ma- 
jesty's government  amply  rewarding  them  on  the  restora- 
tion of  peace,  with  grants  of  lands,  and  pensions  for  life  to 
I  those  who  should  be  disabled  in  the  service.  This  address 
made  considerable  impression  on  the  minds  of  the  youths, 
but  not  on  their  aged  and  more  experienced  sires,  who  had 
oil  a  similar  occasion,  and  by  similar  promises,  been  duped 
10  tiieir  ruin.  These  convinced  the  young  Highlanders, 
|iroin  thoir  own  knowledge  and  experience,  that  British 
])roinisGs,  on  every  similar  occasion,  were  used  as  unspar- 

I'iiiSflvas  the  fowler's  chaff. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  martial  priest,  reckoning  on  the 
impression   supposed   to  have   been  made,   wrote  to   Sir 
<  George  Provost,  proposing  to  raise  a  fencible  regiment  of 
|t;icse  young  men  for  the  defence  of  the  Province,  which 
i  was  readily  accepted  ;  but  before  orders  could  be  issued  to 
raise  the  corps  the  military  ardor  of  the  young  Glengarri- 
atis  had  evaporated  like  the  mornmg  dew.     It  was  there- 
fore deemed  advisable  to  recruit  somewhere  else. 
From  the  trepanning  exertions  of  the  recruiting  parties, 
J  selected  from  different  regiments   in  both  Provinces,   the 
Glengarry   Fencibles  were  soon  filled  up   with  runawa}^ 
sailors,  English,  Irish,   Dutch,  Americans,  Canadians,  and 
^|a  sprinkling  of  Africans,  with   a   considerable  portion  of 
broken-down  raftsmen.     Nevertheless,  they  fought  bravely 
and  suffered  severely  during  the  war.     With  the  exception 
of  the  commissioned  officers,  very  fiew  of  the  Highlanders 
J!  I  enlisted.     Such  were  the  materials  which  composed  this 
celebrated  corps,  and  such  the  state  of  feeling  in  Glengarry 
at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  which  was  by  no  means 
>  remarkable  for  stern  loyalty  or   confidence  in  British  pro- 
finises.     Yet  the  reader  will  find  the  scene  changed  before 
I  the  war  was  over;  owing  altogether  to  the  indifference  of 
I  the  American  general  officers  in  not  pursuing  with  energy 
I  the  many  advantasfes  they  had  acquired  in  the  Upper  Pro- 
vince. 4* 


11    \ 


•  • 


.M 


♦ 


!L' 


'  ''if  ^il 
k 


:.t 


1 :  , 


»t; 


^'.:', 

1 

■"■  i- 

, ':: 

i    'I 


!5 


'     *. 


I|i-; 


llii 


42 


WAR   OF    1812. 


if. 


Ill  the  upper  districts  of  the  Province  hundreds  of  young 
able-bodied  rnen  secretly,  and  many  openly^  formed  them 
selves  into  companies  to  join  the  American  army.  So  san- 
guine were  they  in  the  faith  of  their  immediate  deliverance 
iliat  they  Mbsohitely  declined  doins:  any  kind  ot  duty,  civil 
or  nulitary,  under  the  colonial  authorities.  But  in  conse- 
quence of  Gen.  Hull's  disoraccful  surrender,  they  were 
doouKKUopay  severely  for  tlieir  contumacy. 

When  he  entered  the  i*rovince  at  the  head  of  2,500  men. 
the  expecfations  ol"  the  republican  party  were  raised  to  tlie 
hiirliBst  pitch.  Hundreds  joined  him.  At  Sandwich  he 
issued  a  proclamation  to  the  inhabitants  in  the  followin*;^ 
Vv'ords  :  -'Separated  by  an  immense  ocean  and  an  extensive 
vv'ilderness  from  (ireat  Britain,  you  have  no  participation  iu 
}ts  councils — no  interest  in  her  conduct.  You  have  felt 
her  tyranny  ;  you  have  seen  her  injustice.  Many  of  your 
fathers  fought  for  the  freedom  and  independence  we  now 
enjoy.  Beins:  children,  therelore,  of  the  same  family  with 
us,  and  heirs  to  the  same  heritage,  the  arrival  of  an  army 
of  friends  must  be  hailed  by  you  with  a  cordial  welcome. 
You  will  be  emancipated  from  tyranny  and  oppression, 
and  restored  to  the  diiiiiiiied  station  of  freemen.  Had  1  any 
doubt  of  eventual  success,  I  mii^'ht  ask  your  assistance;  but 
I  do  not.  I  come  prepared  for  every  contingency.  I  have 
a  force  which  will  bretdv  down  all  opposition  ;  and  that 
force  is  but  the  vanguard  of  one  much  greater."  This  pro 
clamation  equals  any  of  the  bulletins  of  Bounaparte  ,  and 
had  it  been  followed  up  with  spirit  and  determination, 
Hull's  meiunry  would  have  been  cherished  by  the  Canadi 
juis  and  their  posterity  to  the  end  of  time,  as  the  Washing- 
ton and  deliverer  of  Upper  Canada.  But.  m  place  of  ad- 
vancing into  the  interior,  and  availing  himself  of  the  friend 
ly  disposition  ol  the  people,  after  blustering:  and  paradinir 
for  a  lew  days  about  Sandwich,  to  the  sad  disappointment 
of  the  Canadians,  and  the  astonishment  of  his  troops,  he 
ordered,  for  some  reason  never  explained,  a  retreat  to  De- 
troit, and  not  long  afterwards  surrendered  disgrac(^fully,as 
l-irisoners  ot"  war,  to  an  inferior  force  under  Gen.  Brock,  as 
fine  and  brave  an  army  as  was  ever  raised  in  America.— 
Afti>r  tlic  prisoners  had  stacked  their  arms,  and  were  pass- 


I 


r  % 


in^  m  rev 
aids,  "  Wl 
plied  a  liei 
by  G--d 
Some  oft! 
with  aliki 
Brock,  the 
never  brea 

When  1 
vince,  the 
raised  as  [ 
stitulions  ' 
ingduty  t 
afterwards 
filled  till  t 
bodied  the 
ing  th«  u 
tliom  were 
tlieir  esc  a] 

Such  w 
Canada  at 

On  the 
bove  ingle 
of  a  thous! 
sharp  but 
lant  style, 
niand  of  ( 
day  was  v. 
ary  confiic 
displayed  i 
their  disci] 
fifty  surrei: 
led.    The 
Gen.  Broc 
the  action, 
descend  am 

The  res 
to  contend 
ihat  disci p 
ing  in  the 
1812. 


n 


A' 


f  young  I 
d  them 
So  san-l 
verancel 
ty,  civil 
fi  conse 
;y  were 

! 

00  men.' 
id  to  tile 
vich  he' 
llowini^: 
ctensive! 
atiou  ill 
lave  felt 
of  your 
we  now 
ily  with 
,11  army 
elcomc. 
session. 
id  1  any 
ice;  but 
I  have 
nd  that 
his  pro 
[e  ,  nnd 
inatioii, 
Canadi 
ashin£- 
e  of  ad- 
}  friend 
aradinir 
intment 
)ops,  he 
t  to  De- 
full  y  as 
rock,  as 
^rica.— - 
re  pass- 


WAR    IN    1812. 


43 


i1 


I 


jns^  in  review  before  Gen.  Brock,  he  remarked  to  one  of  his 
aids,  "  What  a  noble  k)okiiig  set  of  prisoners."  "  Yes,"  re- 
plied a  lieutenant  or  captain  Hull,  one  of  the  prisoners,  "and 
by  G--d  we  are  ignobly  disj;raced  by  a  d— d  old  fool.'' 
Some  of  the  men,  sweariniif  with  raoe,  and  others  weeping 
with  alike  passion,  their  niortifyina- situation  .'tflected  Gen. 
Brock,  than  whom  a  more  tender  or  noble  hearted  officer 
never  breathed. 

When  this  unexpected  news  spread  throni^di  the  Pro- 
vince, the  droopin^j:  spirits  of  the  iioveriiment  party  were 
raised  as  hii^h  as  the  spirits  of  the  friends  of  repulilican  in- 
stitutions were  lowered.  Those  who  formerly  rehised  do- 
ing duty  under  the  coloninl  authorities,  were  immediately 
afterwards  iniprisoned.  The  jruard-houses  and  jails  were 
lilled  till  they  could  hold  no  more.  Those,  also,  who  em- 
bodied themselves  to  join  the  American  standard,  on  hear- 
ing thtj  nil  fortunate  news  dispersed  instantly.  Seven  of 
thorn  were  hung  at  Burlington  heights,  and  many  made 
their  escape. 

Such  was  the  result  of  Gen.  Hull's  invasion  of  Upper 
Canada  at  the  comnu^ncement  ol  the  war. 

On  the  mornino-  of  the  l3lh  of  October  following  the  a- 
bove  inglorious  affair.  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer,  witli  a  column 
of  a  thousand  strono-,  crossed  from  Lewiston,  and  after  a 
sharp  but  short  contest  carried  Qucenston  heights  in  gal- 
lant style.  But  a  British  reinforcement,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Gen.  Sheaffe  havinof  arrived,  the  fortune  of  the 
day  was  chamT:ed,  and  the  heights  retaken  after  a  sanguin- 
ary conflict  of  some  duration,  in  which  the  American  army 
displayed  great  bravery,  and  much  personal  courage  ;  but 
their  discipline  was  rather  deficient.  Seven  hundred  and 
fifty  surrendered  as  prisoners,  besides  the  killed  and  wound- 
ed. Tlie  British  loss  m  killed  and  wounded  was  great. 
Gon.  Brock,  the  idol  of  tlie  Canadian  army,  fell  early  in 
the  action.  Col.  M'Donald,  his  provincial  aid,  one  of  the 
descendants  of  Prince  Charles  Edward's  adherents  fell  also. 

The  result  of  this  affair  convinced  the  British  they  had 
to  contend  for  the  future  with  no  ordinary  marksmen — 
that  discipline,  and  not  courage,  was  the  only  thing  lack- 
nig  in  the  American  armv.  This  ended  the  campaign  of 
1812. 


\N» 


'!• 


'  ■':-*>. 


Its 


i 


h:  fi 


^::l 


'M  'if 

■  .1:! 


Id-,  I 


.U 


■i   M 


■     !  \ 


i,\    r, 


h 


I         ,; 


44 


WAR   OP    1812. 


I 


I 


u 


!i! 


After  the  successful  termination  oi  this  engngemcnt  the 
loyalists  of  both  Provinces  becumc  ahnost  frantic  with  joy, 
while  despair  took  hold  of  the  friends  of  republican  institu- 
tions. In  proportion  as  the  British  army  proved  victorious, 
the  .government  officers  became  insolent,  cruel,  and  oppres- 
sive! Every  person  suspected  wws  disarmed.  Hundreds 
left  their  famihes  and  properties  and  escaped  to  the  United 
States,  to  avoid  beiiiir  dralted  to  serve  in  the  militia.  Dur- 
inij  the  winter  months  great  preparations  were  being  made 
for  an  early  campaign.  Recruiting  parties  were  got  up  in 
every  section  of  the'Province.  Volunteers  were  called  for. 
Scarcely  any  would  turn  out.  With  great  exertions  one 
regiment  of  militia  was  incorporated. 

'On  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  February,  1813,  the  gar- 
rison at  Ogdensburgh,  commanded  by  Maj.  Forsyth  of  the 
United  States  army,  was  suddenly  attacked,  and  after  a 
short  but  desperate  resistance  was  carried  by  the  Glengar- 
ries and  several  other  detachments  under  the  command  oi 
Lieut.  Col.  M'Donell.  The  Glenirarries  and  militia  sufier- 
•ed  severely  from  the  well  pointed  guns  of  the  enemy.  'Pho 
capture  of  this  fort  secured  to  t'le  British  the  safe  naviga- 
tion of  the  St.  Lawrence  to  Kingston. 

But  a  little  after  this  affair,  the  most  treacherously  cruel 
and  coldblooded  wholesale  murder  was  perpetrated  by  tlie 
Indians  under  the  control  of  the  sava2:e  Gen.  Proctor,  at 
Frenchtown,  River  Raisin,  that  ever  disgraced  the  arms  ot 
any  nation,  civilized  or  savage.  It  was  thus.  A  British 
force,  consistinii"  of  four  hundred  reiijulars  and  six  hundred 
Indian  warriors  from  Detroit  and  Maiden,  under  the  imuv'- 
diate  direction  of  Gen.  Proctor,  surprised,  on  the  mornin: 
of  the  22d  of  January,  the  advance  ol  Gen.  Harrison's  army 
amounting  to  about  five  hundred  Kentuckians,  command- 
ed by  Gen.  Winchester.  Yet  notwithstanding^  the  advan- 
tas^es  the  British  had.  bv  choosinsf  their  own  mode  of  at 
tack,  the  keen-eyed  Kentuckians  fought  with  a  determina- 
tion which  scattered  death  and  destruction  with  an  unspar- 
ing hand  in  the  ranks  of  the  British  ;  but  their  want  of  dis- 
cipline proved  their  ruin.  ISeoflectins",  from  the  suddenness 
of  the  aUack,  to  secure  their  flanks  from  enfilade,  they  were 
surrounded.    Still,  they  fought,  each  one  intent  only  on 


tilling  a  r( 
[ians  was  c 
litle.  The 
ras  truly  1 
leeing  his  c 
»o-es,  the  n 
ieft,  front  a 
fender  on  i 
[he  privates 
[etain  their 
id  by  Gen. 
lire]  of 
lold  out  in' 
ras  dread  h 
jd  roused 
ludiiment. 
Ihan  Procti 
>n  pretence 
itely  £,iven, 
)flicers.  1 
f'ds  re-ech 
[laughter  c 
111  vain  in  ( 
British  ofTic 
One  of  the 
the  hellish 
ters  as  Briti 
Ihe  Indian 
iry  and  see 
having  glut 
Und  went  ii 

tPhe  few  pr 
ter,  to  the 
ihem  ever  i 
fortured  to 
iomahawke 
rarrison  w< 
traveling  th 
j  A  few  da^ 
h  surgeon  tl 


WAR    OP 


1812. 


45 


ncnt  the 
ith  joy, 
I  iiistitu- 
2torious, 
[  oppres- 
Lindreds 
)  United 
.  Dm 
12:  made 
:ot  up  in 
died  for. 
ions  one 


I 


the  gar- 
;h  of  the 
I  after  a 
jllen2:ar- 
mand  ol 
a  suffer- 
ly.  Tby 
naviga- 
bly erne! 
i  by  the  i 
octor,  at[ 
arms  oh 
British  ■ 
Kindred 
le  imvne- 
Tiornini:! 
's  army, 
mnfiand- 
e  advan-  [ 
ie  of  at  I 
termina- 
unspar! 
it  of  dis-^ 
denness 
ley  were- 
only  on 


[iUino^  a  redcoat  or  a  painted  lace.     The  yell  of  the  In- 
liiuis  was  answered  by  the  deadly  crack  of  the  Kentucky 
jiflo.    The  work  of  death  for  a  few  minutes  on  both  sides 
'  Ivas  truly  terrifying-.     The  gallant   Gen.  Winchester,  on 
feeing  his  devoted  band  completely  surrounded  by  the  sav- 
lo-es,  the  men  dropping  at  a  fearful  rate  on  his  right  and 
ift,  front  and  roar,  and  no  way  to  escape,  proposed  to  sur- 
jeiider  on  condition  of  securing  tlie  lives  and  property  of 
[he  privates  from  the  savages,  and  permitting  the  officers  to 
etain  their  side-arms.    This  was  readily  and  gladly  grant- 
id  by  Gen.  Proctor,  who  was  himself  reduced  by  the  dead- 
y  lire]  of  the  Kentuckians  to  that  state  that  he  could  not 
old  out  muchlonii:er.    The  havoc  committed  on  his  ranks 
as  dreadlul ;  and  tlie  sense  of  liis  loss  in  killed  and  wound- 
d  roused  his  savajre   temper  till  it  got  the  better  ot  his 
udgment.     Gen.  Winchester  had  no  sooner  surrendered 
ban  Proctor  retired  in  sullen  silence  to  his  head -quarters, 
n  pretence  of  writing  despatches.     Orders  were  immedi- 
tely  £,iven,  contrary  to  express  stipulations,  to  disarm  the 
flicers.     The  Indians  took  the  liint,  and  the  war-whoop 
as  re-echoed ;  the   bloody  tomahawk  raised ;  a  general 
laughter  commenced  ;  the  unarmed  Kentuckians  flying 
11  vain  in  every  direction  lor  protection.    The  suboidinate 
ritish  officers  attempted  to  stop  the  inhuman  proceedings* 
ne  of  them  flew  to  Gen.  Proctor  to  request  him  to  stop 
he  hellish  carnasre — that  it  was   dissfracinsf  their  charac- 
ers  as  British  officers.     The  hihuman  fiend  replied,  it  was 
he  Indian  custom  to   revenge   their  dead;  but  he  would 
ry  and  see  what  could  be  done.     The  Indians,  however, 
aving glutted  their  revenge,  ceased  of  their  own  accord, 
nd  went  immediately  to  scalp  and  rob  the  dead  and  dying. 
^he  few  prisoners  remaining  were  delivered,  by  this  mon- 
ter,  to  the  Indians,  to  be  conducted  to  Maiden.     Few  of 
hem  ever  reached  that  garrison.     Some  were  inhumanly 
ortured  to  death ;  some  burned  at  the  stake,  and  many 
omahawked  in  cold  blood.     The   few  who  reached  the 
arrison  were  naked,  their  skins  torn  and  larcerated  with 
raveling  throuofh  the  bush,  and  the  goading  of  the  savages. 
Afewdaysaffer  the  above  massacre.  Gen.  Harrison  sent 
surgeon  to  the  British  camp,  for  the  purpose  of  attending 


'  I  1 


.^:     * 


% 

I'- 


^* 


•fc 


t 


'i 


i  » 


f 


!f 


f' 


} 


;i^ 


li 


:     i 


46 


WAR    OP    1812. 


the  wounded.  He  had  no  sooner  arrived  than  he  was 
wounded  and  robbed  ;  then  dragged  as  a  prisoner  to  Mai- 
den, from  thence  to  Quebec,  and  the  author  is  not  aware 
what  became  of  him  afterwards. 

These  continued  unfortunate  occurrences,  during  the 
first  year  of  the  war,  made  a  deep  impression  on  many  of 
the  malcontents  in  Upper  Canada.  They  lost  all  hopes, 
therefore,  and  felt  themselves  constrained,  from  dire  neces. 
sity  and  self-preservation,  to  assume  at  least  the  appearance 
of  loyal  subjects,  until  matters  took  a  different  turn, 


♦  ♦ 


w 


1  Cap 

i    Gen.  De 

Itheadminis 

I  that  the  co 

i  provender, 

jthe  British  , 

fdispose  of  i 

Imandsof  thi 

Uration,  mar 

|ed  men  wei 

|ses — to  brea 

'  ever  the  ne 

owner  muri 

ithe  supply  c 

Iter  how  loyi 

to  jail  for  h 

to  confusioi 

a  stretch  of 

The  malcor 

suffered  the 

Crete  their  p 

^were  the  gr 

^secure  fi-om 

i Loyalists  a 

damninof  th 

threats  to  tb 

-the  govern 

tyrant  to  ca 

^niore  severi 

Gen.    Drun 

'^tantly  on  a 

law,  and  sa 

his  vomit, 


•  ■  iM 


f   •    »: 


he  was! 
'  to  Mai. 
)t  awarel 


CHAPTER  V. 


in^ 


the 
nany  of 
I  hopes, 
e  neces. 
earance 


Capture  of  Little  York,  and  Battle  of  Lake  Erie. 

Gen.  De  Rottenburgh,  being  at  this  time  appointed  to 
16  administration  of  the  government,  finding  on  his  arrival 
I  that  the  country  was  well  provided  with  provisions  and 
provender,  but  that  the  agriculturalists  were  so  averse  to 
|the  British  government,  that  they  would  not  for  any  price 
dispose  of  their  surplus  produce,  to  supply  the  daily  de- 
mands of  the  troops,  entorced,  as  the  first  act  of  his  adminis- 
tration, martial  law  in  the  Province.     Detachments  of  arm- 
led  men  were  sent  in  every  direction,  to  search  private  hou-^ 
ses — to  break  into  barns;  press  teams,  and  carry  away  what- 
ever the  necessities  of  the  commissariat  required.     If  the 
owner  murmured,  or  begged  of  them  to  leave  enough  for 
the  supply  of  his  family,  he  was  instantly  accused,  no  mat- 
ter how  loyal  he  miijht  be,  of  being  a  yankee  rebel,  and  sent 
jto  jail  for  his  impertinence.     The  Province  was  thrown  in- 
to confusion.    All  classes  united  in   remonstrating  against 
a  stretch  of  power  so  indiscriminate  and  unconstitutional. 
The  malcontents  did  not  fail  to  add  fuel  to  the  flame.  They 
^suffered  the  least,  as  they  took  the  precautionary  steps  to  se- 
crete their  property  in  the  woods  and  swamps  ;  the  loyalists 
were  the  greatest  sufiers  by  this  act,  for  they  took  no  steps  to 
.secure  from   these  military  robbers  their  hay  or  grain. — 
^Loyalists  and  malcontents,   for  once,  were  unanimous  in 
Idamninof  the  government ;  rebellion  appeared  inevitable  ; 
Ithreats  to  this  effect,  were  publicly  and  boldly  thrown  out; 
the  government  became  alarmed,  and  advised  the  Dutch 
tyrant  to  cancel  the  obnoxious  law, — he  persisted  with  the 
more  severity,  but  unfortunately,  at  this  critical  moment, 
Gen.    Drummond  was  appointed  to  succeed  him,  and  in- 
•"^tantly  on  assuming  the  reins  of  sfovernment,  suspended  the 
law,  and  saved  the  Province.     The  loyalists,  like  a  dog  to 
his  vomit,  returned  to  their  loyality,  and  the  republican 


>i 


i 


'  II 


Kti  r:, 


I   .     -    .  t  •' 


f  : 
--'•'I. 


J 


'!   -'3 


i         ! 

I     i 


'f 


48 


CAPTURE   OF    LITTLE    YORK, 


yfi-% 


i 


!'l' 


party  to  their  despondency.     But  the  h\tter  were  not  design 
ed   to  remain  long   in  that  state.     Gen.  Pike  embarked 
with  1700  men,  on  board  a  flotilla,  commanded  by  Com, 
Chauncey,  at  Sackets  Harbor,  on  the  morning  oi  the25tho; 
April,  and  on  the  al'tcrnoon  of  the  27ih,  disembarked,  in  ex 
ceilent  military  order,  about  two  miles  west  of  Little  York 
the  capital  of  Upper  Canada.     At  a  little  less  than  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  the  town,  he  was  opposed  by  a  British  forct 
under  the  command  of  Gen.  Sheaffe,  who  attempted  todis 
pute  the  landing,  but  the  heavy  rolling  fire,  steady  and  firm 
advance  of  the  American  troops,  threw  the  British,  who  dis 
puted  every  inch  of  the  ground,  as  long  as  they  possibly 
could,  into  mevitable  disorder.     After  sustaining  a  severe 
loss,  they  fled  to  their  fortifications.     Gen.  Pike  advanced 
inorderofbattle,witli  a  determined  and  firm  pace,until  with 
in  two  hundred  yards  of  the  breastworks,  when  an  expio 
sion  of  a  magazine  took  place,  which  destroyed  upwards 
of  a  hundred  of  the  Americans,  among  whom  was  the  brave 
but  unfortunate   Commander.     When  the  confusion  crea 
ted  by  the  explosion,  had  ceased,  the  American  troops  tool; 
possession  of  the  city  and  fort.     Gen.  Sheaffe  and  his  routec 
forces  retreated  in  disorder  towards  the  River  Humber.- 
This  was  the  first  instance,  since  the  commencement  of  the 
war,  where  the  Americans  paid  the  least  respect  to  military 
order  and  discipline.     The  result  was  alike  honorable  tc 
themselves,  and  glorious  to  the  arms  of  their  country.    I; 
also  proved  what  coura2:e  in  the  officers,  and  firmness  in  the 
men,  with  proper  discipline,  can   effect ;  considering  the 
numbersengacred,  the  loss  on  either  side  was  very  consider 
able.     This  dear  bought   victory  taught   the  British  tlia: 
American  disciplined  troops  were  no  less  formidable  in  tin 
open  fields,  than  the  undisciplined  militia  were  unmatched 
in  the  art  of  bush  fightin^:.     rorisequently,  th<^y  were  eve: 
afterwards,  as  careful  of  attacking  the  one,  as  they  were  r 
avoiding  the  other.     The  boldness  of  the  design  and  its  snc 
cessful  result  raised  the  drooping  spirits  of  the  despondin^ 
Canadian  Republicans,  from  somethin<r  like  despair,  to  (hi 
opposite  extreme;  on  the  other  hand,  the  loyalists  of  eithei 
province,  seeing  the  capital  of  Uppei    Canada  in    posses 
sion  of  their  enemy,  and  the  navigation  at  their  control;  th 


',  majority  o 

^tlie  lJj)per 

not  exc«'ec 

regiments 

miles  of  a 

I, would  not 

?  the  comm; 

: quired,  giv 

lllio  United 

J  that  they  c 

i  ance  from 

exterminat 

nadian  roy 

on  the  be 

ot  the  leadi 

I  to  the  war, 

taofmen  a 

psiident  of 

I  them  to  ca 

Hvery  ar(i 

Jish  and   tii 

wcrii  secrt 

i!i>;i.sure  ; 

iiiting  at  t 

I  did,  saved 

rebellion. 

the  oppos 

inous,  thrc 

e (forts  oft 

I  and  tatal  t( 

I  the  govern 

I  iy  and  d*; 

1  who  carri^ 

'  credit  to 

i  would   ha 

)satfi.cieiitl 
^  by  land,  a 
^  ting  army 
have  redu 
per  Can  a 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    EUjE, 


49 


f    I 


!    i  HI 


i  design! 
ibarked 
y  Com 
i25lho 
d,  ill  c.\ 
e  York 
a  miki 
sh  forct 
to  dis 
md  firm 
who  dis 
possiblv 
a  severe; 
ivanced 
til  with 
11  explo 
ip  wards 
lie  brave 
oil  crea 
ops  tool 
is  routec 
imber.-j 
iitof  llr 
military 
irable  t( 
[itry.    I; 
!ss  in  the 
ring  the 
consider 
fish  tlia; 
lie  in  th( 
matched 
ere  evo: 
were  i' 
d  its  sue 
pondiiij 
r,  to  thi 
of  eithei 
posses 
itrol;  th 


.  majority  ofthe  inhabitants  disaflbcted;  the  regular  troops  ia 
yllie  Upper  Province,  materially  cut  up,  and  the  whole  army 
Inot  cxc«'ediu<r  six  thousand  effective  men,  distributed  by 
^  regiments  and  smaller  detachments,  over   fifteen  hundred 
f  miles  oCa  frontier;  and  believing  the  Federal  government 
would  not   fail  witli  all  the  energy  of  the  nation,  to  improve 
Ulie  commanding  advantages,  their  navy  and  army  liadac- 
■  quired,  gave  up  all  as  lost ;  more  especially,  as  they  knew 
jllio  United  States  to  be  powerful   in   men   and  means;  and 
J  that  they  could  not  reasonably  expect  any  material  assist- 
'faiice  from  Great  Britain,  who  was  deeply  involved  in  the 
exterminatiufi:  wars  of  Europe.     The  only  hopes  ofthe  Ca- 
nadian royalists,  for  the  salvation  of  the  provinces,  rested 
on  the  belielf  that   the  apparently  determined  opposition 
|()t  the  leading: characters  of  the  northern  and  eastern  states, 
to  the  war,  would  induce  these  states  to  withhold  their  ([uo- 
taofmen  and  means,  and,  if  not  declare  themselves   iiide- 
peudeiit  of  tlivi  sojilhernand  western  states,  at  least,  to  leave 
them  to  c:irry  on  the  war,  in  the  best  manner  they  could. 
Kivery  arlilico  and  means,   which  the  in^oiiuitv'  ofthe  Brit- 
ish and   tiieir  friends,   U]  the    states  could   j)lau    or  devise, 
I  W(!ro  secriitly  put   in  requisition,   to   elfjct    this    infamous 
|ift3asure;   and  by  all  accounts,  nothiiiix  hut  the  war  lermi- 
fiiitingar  th;'  very  tii\ie,  and    in  the  triumphant  ntanner  it 
Jdid,  saved  the  Union,  t'roni  either  a  dissolution  or  a  luarful 
I  rebellion.     The  consequence  was  finally,  as  disgraceful  to 
I  the  opposers  of  Madison's  administration,  as  it  proved  ru- 
iinous,  through  the  whole  course  ofthe  war,  to  the   gallant 
;  efforts  ofthe  northern  and  wetsern  divisions  of  the  army; 
|nad  tatal  to  Canadian  independence.     Had  they  supported 
I  the  government,  in  the  prosecution  ofthe  war,  as  vigorous- 
fly  and  diiter.ninedly,   as   they  opposed  it,   the  brave  men 
I  who  carried  the  capital  of  Upper  Canada,  with  so  much 
J  credit  to  the   American  arms,  and  honor   to  themselves, 
would   have  been  instantly  reinforced,  and  after   leaving  a 
siitliciently  strong  garrison  at  York,  would  have  proceeded 
by  land,  and  swept  the  country  to  Kingston.     A  co-ojiera- 
liiig  army  of  about  2000  men  landed  at  Gananoque,  would 
I  have  reduced  Kino;ston,  with  little  or  no  trouble,  and  Up- 
I  per  Canada  would  have   been  completelv  secured.     But 


N 


,.    V  :  ■ 


.::'    : 


r 


m 


IS 


!  I- 


:   !        l| 


50 


B  ATT  LI-:    OF    I.AKL    ERIK. 


n 


*i,  t' 


m 


'ik 


for  want  of  uimniiuity  iu  the  councils  of  the  nation,  the  ne- 
cessary rciiilbrcL'inuiits  were  withheld,  and  those  heroes, 
liushcd  Willi  victory,  wore  obliged  to  lower  their  fla^r 
and  rcliiKiuisih  lliti  capitJil,  when  a  iiitio  exertion  on  tlie  part 
of  their  rulers,  would  have  given  them  the  j)rovince.  Tlie 
niortificatioti  ol  their  (Jaiiadiun  (Viends,  on  witnessing  the 
evacuation  of  Yt)rk,  when  the  conquest  of  Canada  was  ex- 
pected, can  be  ejusier  leltlhan  e\{)ressed.  It  may  be  asked, 
why  did  not  the  (^imadiaiis,  if  they  were  so  anxious  (or  the 
success  of  the  American  arms,  join  llieni  alter  the  capture  ol 
Little  York/  The  reasons  were  j)lain  and  stronir.  In  the 
Ijrst  place,  the  American  army  were  not  sullicientiy  respect- 
able in  numbers,  to  warrant  their  doing'  so  with  safely,  lu 
the  second  place,  everyone,  except  the  ultra  loyalists,  were 
disarmed  at  the  comnajiicement  of  the  war,  and  strictly 
watched;  thirdly,  Gen  I  lull's  miscarriaire  involved  all  these 
who  had,  and  many  of  them  who  were  preparing:  to  join 
him,  in  actual  ruin.  Siuiio  wcve  bung;  some  outlawed; 
and  hundreds  were  sndtring  and  pifiingaway  in  the  jails. 
From  the  declaraiion  of  war,  until  the  successful  attempt 
on  York,  the  Am  iriean  troojis,  ciilu  r  for  want  of  cflicient 
leaders,  or  the  jxuicity  of  llieii'  inimhrrs,  were  severely  cut 
up  and  routed,  iu  almost  every  en  counter.  Tluiy  were, 
therefore,  waitiufr  with  anxious  exp(;ct;nion,  for  the  time, 
when  the  Amerieanssliouid  aj^pf^u-  with  a  fierce  sufficiently 
respectable  in  numbers,  to  (Misure,  with  tlu^r  help,  the  con- 
quest of  tlu!  Province,  and  their  salety.  Many  of  llie  youn^j 
men,  notwitlisiandinir,  .joined  them,  and  fought  numfully 
ni  their  ranks,  during  tb  ■  wnr. 

Excej)t  (be  t;d<in!i-  of  I-'ort  George,  by  the  Americans, 
and  the  repulse  of  the  British  at  Sackets  Harbor,  nothinii 
of  importance  was  acbi<'ved  on  (\itber  side,  during  tlie  sum 
mer  season.  Alter  these  afTairs,  the  attention  of  the  British 
and  AuKM-icans,  were  turned  with  great  anxiety,  towards 
the  movements  of  th(^  North  Western  army,  under  Gen. 
Harrison,  and  the  American  fleet,  comininded  by  Commo- 
dore Perry,  on  Lnke  Fvie,  on  the  one  side,  and  the  British 
army,  under  Gen  Proctor  with  Ca[)t.  Barclay's  fleet  on  the 
other. 

In  the  month  of  August,  the  British  troops  at  Maiden  and 


Detroit, 

could  be 

deemed  r 

i'lay  to  p 

worthy  si 

obtain  tl 

otlierwis( 

back  upo 

District. 

t|ucsted 

troops,  to 

by  Perry 

|)iement 

])roceedci 

leiition,  < 

ease  the; 

uiand  of 

modi  ate  I' 

of  Upper 

Lake  Hi 

same  tin 

mauradi 

proper  tc 

(jommot 

a  matter 

Tcrritor 

and  retr( 

f  tn  realit; 

quest  of 

convicti* 

the  CO  mi 

mainiain 

whiL  a  ] 

J  was,  the 

loaders  I 

;  lair  trial 

i      On  tli( 

'   her, —  1 

y   giver 

ikilfuUy 


I 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE  ERIE. 


51 


,  the  no 

B  heroes, 
leir   fla^r 

I  the  part 
;e.     The 

ing  tliu 
I  was  ex 
.)e  us  keel. 
IS  (or  the 
iipturo  c)i 
In  the 
/  respect- 
f'ely.  Ill 
sts,  were 

strictly 

all  lho.se 

jj;  to  join 

utlawed; 

the  jails. 

atlernpf 
efiiciont 
LU'ely  cut 
ii)y  weio, 
the  time, 
lliciently 
,  the  coii- 
|je  young 
iiuuiiiilly 

iiericans, 
,  nothiiiii' 
tlio  suin- 
0  British 
towards 
ler  Gen. 
Coiniiio- 
e  British 
ot  on  the 

Iden  and 


i 


Detroit,  were  sufforinij:  lor  want  of  provisions,  as  none 
could  be  procured  in  tlieir  neiuhborhood.  It  was,  therefore , 
deemed  advisable,  by  a  council  of  war,  to  direct  Capt.  Bar- 
clay to  place  the  crazy  licet  under  his  eoniniand,  in  a  sea 
worthy  slate,  and  proceed  to  the  east  as  early  as  possible,  to 
obtain  the  necessary  supplies  (or  the  troops  and  navy; 
otherwise  the  army  must  abandon  their  position  and  tail 
hack  upon  Moravia  town,  80  miles  distant  in  the  London 
District.  As  soon  as  the  vessels  were  ready,  Barclay  re- 
t)ucsted  Gen.  Proctor  to  "rant  him  n  sufllcient  number  of 
noops,  to  act  as  marines,  in  the  event  of  his  being  attacked 
by  Perry.  These  vvere  f^rantcd,  with  a  considerable  com- 
pieinent  of  Indians,  hi  very  thiiii^  bciuir  ready,  Barclay 
proceeded  immediately  to  execute  his  orders,  with  the  in- 
tention, either  to  capture  or  destroy,  the  American  fleet,  in 
case  they  fell  in  his  course.  Slioukl  he  succeed,  the  com- 
mand of  the  lake  would  be  secured  ; — Proctor's  army  im- 
iiicdiatcly  reinforced,  and  amply  supplied; — the  frontiers 
of  Upper  Canada,  from  the  foot  of  Jiake  Erie,  to  the  head  of 
Lake  Huron,  safe  Irom  any  future  invasion,  while,  at  the 
same  time,  th'  American  frontier  would  be  laid  open  to  their 
maurading  oi  foraginj,^  incursions,  whenever  they  thought 
proper  to  act  on  the  oflensive.  On  the  other  hand,  should 
(JoUiinodorc  Perry  prove  victorious,  Gen.  Proctor  must,  as 
a  matter  of  necessity,  abandon  his  possessions  in  Michigan 
Territory;  withdraw  his  forces  from  Maiden  and  Sandwich, 
and  retreat  to  the  interior  of  London  District,  which  would, 
tn  reality,  be  op(;ning  the  door  to  elfcct  the  immediate  con- 
quest of  the  Upper  Province  Fully  impressed  with  the 
conviction  of  these  serious,  and  important  consequences, 
the  commanders  of  each  squadron  determined  to  assert  and 
maintain  the  honor  and  supremacy  of  their  respective  flags, 
while  a  plank  of  their  flotillas  remained.  The  stake  at  issue, 
was,  therefore,  worthy  the  sacrifice;  nor  were  these  gallant 
leaders  backward  in  bringing  the  matter  to  an  honorable  and 
fair  trial. 

On  the  morning  of  the  10th  Sept.,  ihcy  hove  in  sight  of  each 

■■   her,— the  stcru  command,  *'prepare  for  action,"  was  pronnpt- 

y    given  on  both  sides; — the    crews  piped  to  Quarters;  guns 

skilfully  pointed,— the  usual  notice,  *'all  is  ready,"  re-echoed 


•  • 


N 


Irl 


!{ 


'I 


,^l 


Mi 


52 


BATTLE    OF    LAKE    EKIE. 


\l  T 


ilil 


fli 


*.. 


llirough  the  fleets;— llic  stillness  ofclenth  succeed' d — tlie  morn 


ing  was  ori/n 


ioiisly  still;  an  occnsioral  breeze  sue 


led  tl 


le  sail^ 


creating  a  beantirul  succession  of  rippling  curls  on  the  surface 
of  the  waters.  The  hostile  crews  eager  and  impatient  for  the 
onset.  Neptune,  as  it  were,  bound  up  the  winds,  to  jiivc  the 
anxious  comb-itanls  lime  for  refresliment,  that  they  might  com- 
mcnco  the  work  of  death  with  renovated  energy.  During 
this  time,  the  squadrons  were,  for  want  of  wind,  rall)'>r  drifting, 
than  sailing,  towards  each  other.  The  instant  the  hostile 
commanders  singled  out  their  respective  flag  ships,  every  eser^ 
lion  was  made  by  the  heroes,  to  place  themselves  in  juxtapo- 
sition. But  Capt.  Barclay,  on  account  of  his  long  eighl(  ens, 
had  the  advantage,  of  pouring  for  nearly  ten  minutes,  a  most 
destructive  fire  on  the  St.  Lawrence,  befoie  she  could  brirg 
her  carronades  to  tell  on  the  enemy;  at  length  a  flaw  of  wind 
brought  her  up  to  the  desired  point*  making  signals  to  the  rest 
to  engage,  The  wind,  however,  was  too  low  to  admit  of  an 
immediate  connlianci;,  ho  was,  therefore,  compelled  to  sustain, 
for  an  hour  and  a  half,the  (ire  c»f  two  ships  of  ec  ual  force.  At  hist 
the  brig  became  unmanagoiible;  her  crew,  e,\ce|  t  four  or  five. 
were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Victory,  so  far,  declared  in  favor 
of  the  British.  The  brig  being  now  a  perfect  wreck,  and  death 
and  destruction  still  pouring  in  npon  him,  Com.  Perry,  with  r, 
presence  of  mind,  and  a  heroism,  hardly  ever  surpassed,  he  wen' 
in  RP  open  boat,  exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire,  to  the  Niaga- 
ra, of  twenty  guns.  Tlic  wind  now  arose;  he  bore  down  upon 
the  Lady  Provost, -pouring  into  her  so  tremendous  a  fire  that  her 
crew  were  compelled  to  seek  shelter  below.  Following  the  ex- 
ample of  tiieir  intrepid  leader,  the  remainder  of  the  Americnn 
squadron  engaged,  one  after  the  other,  until  the  battle  became 
general.  Which  now  raged  with  fury  ; — splinters  flying  ;— 
yards  falling,  masts  tumbling,  mcndroi>j)ing  in  every  directi(jii; 
the  ciieers  of  the  surviving  drowp.ing  the  piercing  agonies  ci 
the  dying  and  wounded; — still  victory,  as  if  delighting  in  lli-: 
carnage,  stood  aloof,  undetermined,  to  declare  for  either  sick. 
Finally,  the  British  fleet  being  reduced  to  floating  wrecks,  vic- 
tory decided  in  favor  of  the  American  flag,  and  the  commaiio 
of  the  lake  and  the  British  fleet  fell  to  Perry.  This  we!! 
contested  and  obstiiuUe  ergngement  was  liighly  honorable  to  the 
conqueror,  and  also  to  the  conquered.  Every  thing  that  vnlor, 
naval  science  and  experience  could  devise,  was  broucht  to  nlav. 
The  ^take  at  issue  was  ereat.  iherefoi 


the  British  h 


out 


the  prize, 
to  bear.  ] 
querors,  t 
of  the  conl 
the  Americ 
given. 


\  niorn- 
le  saiLs, 
siiiTacc 

for  the 
ivc  tlic 
ht  com- 
During 
Iriiting, 

liostile 
y  exe'^ 
Lixlapo- 

,  a  most 
Id  biiis: 
of  wiii'.l 
the  res! 
il  of  an 
iiustaiii. 

At  lust 

or  five. 

in  favc!' 

nd  death 

',  with  n 

he  went 

Niagu- 
,vn  upon 

that  her 
;  the  ex- 
.mericiiii 

became 
ying  ;- 
lircclioii; 
onies  ci 
ig  in  I  lie 
her  fciidc. 
cks,  vie- 
lommaiiu 
^his  well 
bleto  the 
lat  vnlor, 
t  to  play. 
Id  out  ^ef 


BATTLE  OP   LAKE    ERIE. 


53 


the  prize,  while  a  vessel  could  be  managed,  or  a  gun  brought 
to  bear.  But  the  friendly  and  humane  deportment,  of  the  con- 
querors, towards  their  fallen  enemy,  after  the  din  and  bustle 
of  the  conflict  was  over,  gave  a  character  for  real  bravery,  to 
the  American  navy,  that  the  bare  victory  could  never  have 
given. 


6* 


N 


.  1, , 


I 


i 


I.  * 


;     II 


¥ 


''% 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Battle  of  the  Thames. 


On  receivino-  the  ofFicial  account  of  Cnpt.  Barclay's  de- 
feat,  General  Proctor  prepared  to  evacuate  the  Mieliigai) 
teiritory,  and  shortly  allerwards  retreated  with  his  army, 
after  des!royin2[  the  fortress  and  government  stores  at  Mai- 
den and  Detroit,  to  the  London  District.     Gen.  Harrison, 
with  upwards  of  3,000  rnen,  pursued  the  retreatinj^  Proc 
tor  with  all  possible  haste,  and  on  the  niorninir  of  the  5tli 
of  October,    the   advance,   consisting   of   1,000  mounted 
diagoons  under  Col.  Johnson,  reached  the  place  of  his  en- 
campment, at  the  Moravian  village  on  the  River  Thames. 
SO  miles  from  Maiden.     The  British  troops  were  drawn 
out  in  an  extended  line  of  battle,  with  intervals  of  two  and 
three  paces  between  the  files,  coveimg  a  large  extent  of 
ground,  and  consequently  presenting  a  very  iniposing  ap- 
pearance, but  certainly  the  weakest  military  front  or  posi 
tion  that  could  be  offered  to  an  enemy.     Whether  Proctoi 
adopted  this  plan  from  necessity  or  as  a  matter  of  choice, 
is  immaterial;  it  fully  evinced  his  incaj)acity  as  a  General, 
as  well  as  a  total  ignorance  of  the  science  of  war.     Col. 
Johnson  veported  the  circumstance  immediately  to  Gen, 
Harrison,  who  rode  up  to  satisfy  himself.     He  tlien  reques- 
ted permission  to  attack  them  before  they  changed  their  po- 
sition.    It   was  granted.     Gen.  Harrison,  jn.st  as  he  was 
returning  to  bring  up  the  luain  body  to  his  assistance,  in 
the  event  of  any  disaster,  remarked  to  Johnson,  after  giv- 
ing some  necessary  directions,  ^'Colonel,  charge  them  m 
yoii  thhik  best  J  iJtcy  arc  yours  T     Col.  Johnson   like  a 
skilful  leader,  availed  himself,  immediately,  of  the  advan- 
tage, which  such  an  unprecedented  weak  position  afforded: 
divided  his  regiment  into  two  equal  divisions:  the  ]e\\k 
tgave  in  charge  to  his  brother,  I.ieut.  Col.  James  Johnson, 
the  other  he  commanded  in  person.     Ho  then  directed  lib 
brother  to  charge  the  British  regulars  the  moment  he  ni 
acked  the  Indians  under  Tecumsx'h. 


When 
son  ad van 
actually  b 
tlieir  rank 
the  cursec 
of  this  we 
part  of  the 
troops  as  t 
discretion 
;  tucky  vol 
stant  Gen, 
:  tucky  voh 
]  his  horse  i 
I  ghosts  of 
I  at  his  heel 
the  Indian 
,;•  nature.  ' 
I  ted.  unde 
^  learfnl  si  a 
'I  margin  of 
I  it  impossi 
I  (lered  his  i 
I  III  the  Ilea 
iebrated  Ir 
I  deadly,  fie 
!  ted;  a  larg 
J  Tecurnsel 
I  the  same  t 
I  the  warrio 
I  Johnson  | 
I  iieart.  T 
I  horse  droj- 
loss  of  bio 
extricate  1 
,  such  that 
I  war  steed, 
I  this  time  ( 
I  completed 
I  I  fie  m 
I  Kenluckifi 
»  action,  ha 


'^ 


BATTLE    OF   T-HE    THAMES. 


55 


ay's  do- 
le higaii 
s  army, 
at  Ma'l- 
iirrison. 
^  Proc 
the  5lli 
nounled 
his  (!ii- 
riiames. 
)  drawn 
two  and 
extent  of 
ising  ap- 
or  posi- 
Proctor 
r  choice, 
-»eneral, 
r.     CoL 
to  Gen, 
I  reqiies- 
their  po- 
he  was 
mice,  in 
I'tpr  giv- 
ihcm  OS 
Uke  a 
cidvaii- 
alibrded; 
e  left  he 
roliiisoii. 
cled  iii^ 
nt  he  at- 


When  the  order  to  charge  was  given,  Lieut.  Col.  John- 
son advanced  with  such  rapidity,  that  the  British  Hue  was 
actually  broken  up  and  routed  before  they  had  time  to  close 
their  ranks  and  Conn  a  square  to  repel  the  attack.    Througli 
tlie  cursed  imbecihly  ot  a  miserable  poltroon,  the  trophies 
^  of  this  well  planned  and  gallantly  execut'-d  charij^e,  on  the 
part  of  the  Americaus,  was  7.50  as  brave  and  disciplined 
troops  as  the  British  army  could  l)onst,  who  surrendered  at 
discretion  as  prisoners  ot  war,  to  less  than  500  raw  Ken- 
tucky volunteers,  besides  six  brass  iield  pieces.     The  in- 
stant Gen.   Proctor  saw  his  line  penetrnted   by  the  Ken- 
tucky volunteers,  without  any  further  effort,  he  mounted 
;  his  horse  and  fled  with  as  much  precipitation,  as  if  all  the 
^  ghosts  of  the  murdered  Kentuckians  at  Freiichtown  were 
]  at  his  heels.     The  attack  in;tde  by  ('ol.  R.  M.  Johnson,  on 
the  Indians,  was  necessarily  of  a  more  obstinate  and  l)loody 
^.  nature.     They  were  1,300  strong  and  advantngeously  pos- 
]  ted,  under   cov(;r  of  the  woods,  .uid  consequently  made 
;  fearful  slaughter  in  Johnf-on's  ranks,  as  he  approached  the 
i  margin  of  the  swail  where  they  lay  ambushed.     Finding 
fit  impossible  to  dislodge  them  on   horseback,  Johnson  or- 
Jdered  his  men  to  dismou'-  and  attack  them  sword  in  hand. 
I  hi  the  heat  of  the  enirai    t       t,  he  and  Tecumseh,  the  cel- 
Jcbrated  Indian  Chief,  sii.^.cd  out  eacU  other  and  met  in 
I  deadly,  fierce  conflict;  '^recumseh  on  foot,  Johnson  moun- 
I  ted;  a  large  log  between.     As  he  essayed  to  round  the  log, 
^  Tecuinseh  fired  and  wounded  him  severely;  his  horse,  at 
f  the  same  time,  was  perforated  by  a  number  of  balls.     As 
I  the  warrior  raised  his  battle  axe,  to  give  the  finishing  blow, 
I  Johnson  presented  his  pistol   and   shot  him  through  the 
I  heart.     The  instant  Tecumseh  fell,  the  gallant  Johnson's 
I  horse  dropped  dead  under  him.     He  was  so  weak  with  the 
I  loss  of  blood,  that  it  was  with  the  utmost  exertion  he  could 
I  extricate  himself  from  the  dead  animal;  liis  weakness  was 
f  such  that  he  afterwards  lutd  to  lay  iAowj:  side  of  iiis  dying 
I  war  steed,  until  carried  away  in  an  Indian  blanket.     At 
I  this  time  Gen.  Harrison  came  up  with  the  main  body  and 
I  completed  the  rout  already  commenced. 

The  m  itchless  bravery  and  heroic  devotion  of  these 
Kentuckians,  during  and  subsequent  to  this  sanguinary 
i'\ction,  have  acquired  for  them  an  imperishable  fame.     In- 


H 


•  ■ 


!       \ 


i\' 


r  J 


:'l 


i   ^i' 


'    1 


^ii^ 


'I'M 


m 


RATTLE    OF    THE     THAMES. 


f 


^f  . 


,""  'I'- 


stcnd  oi'  <!;\[\il'\wy  tlioir  revenirc,  on  the  prisoners  whom  the 
rortiiiie  ()(  the  day  f)h'iced  at  their  disposal,  lor  the  cruel  and 
cold  !)lo()(l<;d  murder  of  their  irieuds  and  countrymen,  at 
rrenefitowu.  they  treated  them  with  ail  tiie  Iduduess  in 
their  pow(;r;  thus  proviuij^  to  the  world,  it  proof  were  wan- 
tiiJ!^-,  liiat  "the  truly  hrave  aru  always  huuume."  The  ex- 
traordinary a{;hi(;vments  of  this  memorable  day,  most  deci- 
dedly, prove  tluMU  warriors  of  no  ordmary  cast. 

Let  us,  lor  a  moment,  take  a  view  ot  the  strength  and 
positi(>n  of  the  hostile  armies,  at  the  commencement  of  the 
s(^paraU;  actions.  The  Americans  engai^ed  were  barely 
one  thousand  stroma;  divided  into  two  divisions  of  five  hun- 
(h'cd  each;  the  one  commanded  by  Col.  Richard  M.  John 
son,  the  other  by  his  brother,  Lieut.  Col.  James  Johnson, 
The  Ihifisli  w(!re  full  two  thousand  one  hundred  stron^, 
divided,  also,  into  two  unequal  divisions;  the  first,  consis- 
limi;  of  SOO  veterans  and  six  brass  field  pieces,  under  the 
innnodiate  eye  and  command  of  Gen.  Proctor;  the  second 
consist(^d  of  L301)  Indian  warriors,  under  the  control  of 
the  celebrated  chief,  Tecumseh,  who  were  securely  formed 
on  the  inner  vcr^j^e  of  a  swamp.  Now  mark — Lieut.  Col. 
James  Jiihnson  with  his  command  of  500,  changed,  svvord 
\n  hand  SOO  lUitisli  rci^ulars,  and  six  held  pieces,  and 
compelled  them  to  surrender  at  discretion.  Col.  Richard 
\r.  .lohnseiu  at  the  same  time,  with  his  division  of  500,  at- 
tacks Tecumseh  and  his  l.'SOO  warriors,  and  defeated  them. 
'I'hc  whole  atlair,  then,  stands  thus  :  1.000  raw  Kentucky 
volunteers,  cajituro  and  defeat  2.100  disciplined  British 
rcijuiars  and  Iiuhans,  toiiether  with  six  field  pieces. 

Tile  author  has  not  been  led,  bvany  means,  to  dwell  on 
these  pariieulars,  to  detract  tVom  the  iienerally  established! 
mihtarv  tdiaraeter  of  British  troops,  but  merelv  to  show 
what  raw.  undisciplined  troops  ccm  etfect.  when  commnn- 
ded  and  leil  by  such  brave  and  elficient  leaders  as  Gen  i 
Harrison  and  the  (^ols,  Johnson,  proved  to  be.  on  this  occa- 
sion. For  what  siirnities  the  braverv  or  discipline  of  aiiv 
troops,  when  led  or  commanded  by  such  a  milksop  as  Gen. 
Proctor?  Gen,  Hariison  had  now  the  complete  control 
of  Upper  Canada  as  tar  as  Kino^^ton.  The  whole  of  the 
Britisli  troops,  with  their  out  posts,  were  ordered  to  fall 
back  on  that  point,  to  defend  it  against  a  daily  expected 


iitlack,    hi 
1'' rot  I J  i\)(i 
iiig  could 
(it  tiiis  pa  I 
rclui'Ming 
siitulioiis 
iroiij    culo 
of  a  doub 
ihc  Lakes 
Kingston. 
Gl' aural,  fc 
Ion,  to  tilt 
iUJtlior  alhi 
advantuge.^ 
have  place 
— thoru   is 
concent  rat 
txcopt  Poi 
'sand  five  h 
A  forlni 
received   c 
|)iace  Guv. 
the  remain 
J]uflalo.     ] 
('f  this  sue 
simultaneo 
iHurrison, 
•tion  wixri  w 
■lunply   suO 
an  energy 
cations  at 
the  British 
only  stron; 
.so  far,  buc 
ton  was  \v( 
and  doserri 
fleet  undei 
conimandei 
army  appo 
Jackets  Hi 
sary  rnatei 
when  uuiti 
t'hauncey' 


I  L 


BATTLE    OF    THE    TlIAMliS. 


5/ 


lom  the 
uel  and 
alien,  at 
Jiiess  in 
ire  wan- 
The  ex- 
Dst  deci- 


igth  and 
It  of  the 
3  barelv 
ive  hun- 
/I.  John 
Johnson, 
1  strong, 
I,  consis- 
Qcler  the 
e  second 
►ntrol  of 
y^  formed 
eut.  Col. 
d,  sword 
pes,  and 
Richard 
500,  at- 
ed  them, 
entueky 
British 

• 

clvvell  on 
ablished 
to  show 
tommnii- 

as  Gen. 
his  occa- 
e  of  any 

as  Gen. 

control 
e  of  the 
to  fall' 
expected 


attack,  by  Gen.  Wilkeiisoti's  nimy,  from  Sackcts  Harbor. 
I'Voin  tlui  goneral  panic  that  prevailed  among  all  classt's,  noth- 
ing could  bo  more  easily  cllcctid  ihan  ibo  taking  of  Kingstcjii 
at  ti»i.s  parlicuhir  junctujc.  'i'he  militia  wcr^ji  iVigiilonod,  and 
icturaing  to  ihcir  liomos  by  companies;  t!)c  fricnob  of  free  in- 
siilulions  vvero  in  ccslacius;  lliey  believed  ibeir  deliverance 
Iroin  colonial  misrule  now  placed  beyond  the  po.'^sibility 
of  a  dt.'ubt.  They  saw  their  American  triends  in  conimand  of 
llio  Lakes,  and  in  possession  ol"  all  the  lorlilications,  west  of 
Kingston.  They  heard  the  desponding  language;  of  the  Gov. 
General,  Sir  George  Provost,  wlio  remarked  at  Fuit  Welling- 
lon,  to  the  late  lUshop  McDonell,  and  in  the  iiearing  of  the 
nullior  also,  "If  Gen.  Harrison  and  Wiikenson  follow  up  the 
advantages,  wiiich  the  victories  on  Lake  I'llrie  and  the  Thames, 
have  placed  in  liieir  power,  Up'per  Canachi  must  be  abandoned, 
— there  is  no  alternative.''  'Lhe  whole  of  the  liritish  forces, 
concentrated  at  Kingston,  their  oidy  iiold  in  Upper  Canada, 
except  Fort  Wellington,  at  this  time,  did  not  exceed  one  thou- 
sand five  bundled  men. 

A  fortnight  after  the  battle  of  tlie  Thames,  Gen.  Harrison 
received  orders  to  fall  back,  with  his  division,  to  Maiden; 
|)icice  Gov.  Cass  in  the  command  of  Detroit,  and  proceed  with 
the  remainder  of  iiis  forces  to  join  the  army  of  the  centre  at 
Jjuffalo.  Expectation  was  now  raised  on  tiptoe.  Tiic  object 
(if  this  sudden  manoeuvre  was  generally  understood  to  be  a 
simultaneous  attack  on  Kingston,  by  Genls.  VVilkenson  and 
^Harrison,  prior  to  a  descent  on  Montreal.  The  plan  of  opera- 
■tioii  was  well  concerted,  and  the  force  and  means  provided, 
;iunj)ly  suOicient  for  the  purpose.  Had  it  been  acted  "on  with 
tin  energy  and  ability  similar  to  that  which  carried  the  fortifi- 
cations at  Little  York,  or  obtained  the  victory  at  the  Thames, 
the  British  would  have  been  driven  to  Quebec,  their  last  and 
only  strong  hold  in  Canada.  To  all  appearance,  every  thing, 
so  far,  bade  fair  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  object.  Kings 
ton  was  weak  and  short  of  provisions;  the  militia  disaffected 
and  deserting  by  companies,  could  not  be  trusted;  the  British 
ileet  under  Commodore  Yeo,  blockaded  by  the  American  fleet, 
commanded  by  Commodore  Chauncey;  on  the  other  hand,  tho 
army  appointed  to  attack  Kingston,  under  Gen.  W^ilkenson,  at 
i5ackets  Harbor,  was  7,000  strong,  ^upplied  with  every  neces- 
sary material;  Gen.  ILirrison's  not  far  short  of  4,000;  these 
when  united,  would  amount  at  least  to  10,000  etfeciive  men; 
i'haunccy's  fleet  far  superior  in  number,  metal  and  quality,  to 


•  ••  ii; 


.N< 


m. 


h 


k- 


"i 


jt^ 


■■fl 


;  ■  n 


'  H 


'i:i 


i    ■      ■  I     ! 


J  i. 


if 


V      5 


:„i* 


'W'l 


58 


nATTLi:    OF    TIIK    THAMES. 


the  British  navy;  wlio,  at  this  time,  dare  not  show  a  sail  outsidt 
Kingston  hurboi-.  Was  ther(;  evf^r  an  op])ortunily  moro  fair  or 
luvorablc?     lint  uulortunatclv   lor   Canada,   Gun.  Armstrong, 


about  this  time,  was  appointed  Secretary  oi"  VVar.  A  new  ai- 
raugemcnt  took  |)Iace.  The  attack  on  Kingston  was  abandon- 
ed. Gen.  VVilkenson  ord(^red  to  proceed  down  tlie  St.  Law- 
rence, to  torin  a  junelion  with  G^n.  Hampton,  and  then 
advance  on  a  wihJ  goose's  chase  to  attack  Montro;il.  Gencwal 
Harrison  seeing  his  favoritf?  j)Ian  of  securing  L'pj)er  Canada 
relinquished;  an  inferior  oilicer  phaced  over  him,  and  seeing  in 
prospect  the  faihir(;  of  the  campaign,  by  the  total  ab  indonmt'ii! 
of  the  Upper  Province,  r.nd  realizing  that  he  could  be  of  no 
further  service  to  his  C(jnntrv,  resigned  with  disgust.  Go 
McClure,  aft(;r  burning  Newark,  retreated  with  his  commatu! 
to  Buffalo.  And  iho  republican  Canadians  hid  the  extrem 
mortification  of  seeing  themselves  in  the  same  vexatious  situa- 
tion in  which  tlu^y  v/eie  bL^fore  the  victories  of  Lake  Erie  am 
the  Thames.  Tiie  ujodclefts  of  victorv,  who  had  hitherto  favor 
ed  the  American  flag  of  Liberty,  as  if  ashamed  of  their  wan 
of  military  judgment,  in  not  embracing  the  opportunity  of  ;; 
victory  so  feasible,  and  to  all  human  appearance,  so  certain 
deserted  their  cause  on  the  frontier  for  that  season,  and  again 
once  more  favored  the  British. 

Had  the  command  devolved  on  Gen.  Harrison,  it  was  tlif 
universal  belief  of  the  high(^st  military  ciiaracters  in  Canada 
that  Kingston  would  have  fallen  with  little  loss;  and  that  lie 
would  have  swept  the  Canadian  f'ronlicr,  and  securely  lodgou 
his  army  in  winter  quarters  at  Montreal,  or  Three  River? 
If  we  may  be  allowed  to  judge  from  his  former  victorious 
career,  there  can  be  no  doubt  but  the  campaign  of  1813,  woulii 
have  ended  diflorentlv  to  what  it  did. 


\ 


On  the  3 
ill  roe  hundr 
N  the  St.  . 
jhousand  f-;| 
Dt.  Regis,  i 
jiiain  part  ( 
i'eal. 

■    On  the  i; 
listing  of   V. 
(pol.  Morris, 
(livision   of 
JViiiiamabui 
alioii  took 
ans   cli'irgc 
irown  into 
It  was    on! v 
inf!  in  thci.- 
•nrty   now 
''rom  this   u 
:c'[)t  up  by 
t;lt  again  c 
iddng  posse 
ian  lencibk 
1^' treat.     Tl 
to  retrrat, 
ediately 
rn   liie    Bi 
issayed  to  e 
f«dy  of  hidi 
I'^d  the  lutte 
oned  for  ti 
^  their  tm-n, 
jeing  retake 
i^iinanders 
10  (ate  of  tl 


il  outside 
ro  fair  or 
mstrong, 
new  ill- 
Mbaiidoii- 
St.  Lnw. 
mcl    then 

r  Canaflii 

seeing  ill 

II don  mem 

be  o  r  110 
St.  Gen, 
commaiK! 
?  extrom/ 
oLis  situa' 

Erie  an; 
jrto  favor 
heir  wan; 
unity  of  ;i 
io  certain 
and  agair, 


it  was  tlii] 

n  Canada, 

nd  that  he 

ely  lodgea 

3   River? 

victorious 

13,  would 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Battle  of  Chrysler's  Farm. 


On  the  30th  of  Octobrr,  Gen.  Wilkonson,  witli  a  flotilla  of 
lliroe  hundron  Durham  boats,  and  seven  thousand  men,  descend- 
jpd  the  St.  Lawrence  to  join  Gen.  flampton'a  division  of  four 
|liousand  r^trong,  who  was  expected  to  bn  w.iiting  tor  him  at 
pt.  Regis,  and  from  thence  to  j)roceed  immediatc^iy  to  put  t!te 
limin  part  of  his  orders  into  execution — the  tailing  of  3,' ont- 
icmI. 

On  the  11th  of  November,  an  army  of  obpervation,  con- 
listing  of  eighteen  hundred  British  regulars,  c^'inmanded  by 
pol.  Morris,  of  the  89th  regiment  of  foot,  overlook  his  rear 
ilivision  of  seventeen  hundred  strong,  at  Chrysler's  farm,  in 
|Villiamsburg:i.      A  desparale  engag(  mcnt  ol"  three   hours  du- 

i'  aiion  took  place  in  the  open  lleld.  At  the  onset,  the  Ameri- 
aiis  cii'irged  witii  such  fury  that  the  British  advance  was 
hmwn  into  di-^order  and  compellcHJ  to  give  groniid.  However, 
I  uas  only  tiu!  panic  of  a  moment,  'i'lu-y  insinntly  rallied; 
iiid  in  th(Mi-  turn  ilrove  tlie  Ameiicans  acioss  a  ravine.  J'^ach 
inrly  now  oecuj)ied  the  ground  on  which  they  commenced. 
*'roni  this  time,  a  regular  succession  of  rolliLg  volleys  were 
:ept  up  by  bolh  sides  I'or  nearly  two  hours.  The  American 
elt  again  charged  the  rigiit  of  the  British,  and  were  in  act  of 
tdung  possession  of  their  artillery,  when  a  paity  of  the  Cana- 
|ian  iencibles  made  a  feint  on  iheir  rear  as  if  to  cut  olT  their 
ctreat.  The  Americans,  on  perceiving  tliis,  made  a  precipi- 
to  retrrat,  and  assumed  their  former  position  in  the  line.  Im- 
ediately  afterwards,  a  s(juadron  of  dragoons  attempted  to 
rn  the  British  left;  while  anoiluM'  detachment  of  infantry 
ssaved  to  enfilade  their  ricrht.  The  former  was  rtnuilsed  bv  a 
ody  of  Indians  who  lay  in  ambush  in  the  edge  of  the  woods; 
|ad  tiie  latter  by  a  party  of  Canadian  fencibles  who  were  sta- 
Boned  for  that  purpose  on  the  road.  The  British  now  charged 
§J  their  turn, and  captured  a  field  piece,  which  narrowly  escaped 
Icing  retaken.  Every  means  which  bravo  and  determined 
fomnianders  could  devise  to  turn  each  others  IJankL?  and  decide 
m  fate  of  the  day  having  failed,  all  at  once  the  British  threw 


'•*i 


'    •■■! 


J"  y 


60 


BATLE    OF    CHRYSLKR  S    FARM. 


ing  the  |j 
ion  as  tho 


off  the ir  great  coats,  the  Americans  their  canteens  and  haver,     vnark*  t 
sacks.     Tho  action  was  carried    on   with    redoubled  exertionJ  <)f  disci 
for  some  time  on  both  sides.     Tho  Americans  at  last  made  an-j  virid  in 
other   desjtarato  effort   to  retai<e    their  captured  fifld-piece—l  ^\^(,  i)^^] 
look  some  prisoners,  but  failed  in  their  obj-'Ct.      \rt(jr  this  af-!    t,|ino'l;  i 
fair,  the  Amciicans    pressed  hard  on    the  British  center,  who     uiorc  lav, 
maintained  their  position  with  astonishing  firmness.    At  this  cri'    Yhamos 
tical  moment,  when    victory,    to  all   appearance,  was  about  to    compt'lle 
decide  for    the  Americans,    Gen.  Covington,  their  brave  coni-    |);in(irii! 
manding   officer  was    mortally  wounded,    and  carried    off  tli"    jj^.  coiicei 
field.     At  the  same   time,  a  few  reckless  inhabitants  appearet    cinlinecl  f 
in  the  rear  of  the  British  lines  to  take  a  view  of  the  battle.    I:    tcA-'ioi'  to 
being  in  tiic  dusk   of  the  evening,  the  Americans  took  them  fo'l       Bofoio 
a  reinforcemfiil,   and   tiie    British  gun-boats    also    heaving  ii 
sight,  they  considered  it  useless  to  contend  any  longer — retiree' 
in  good  order  to  their  boats,    leaving  the  British  in  j)ossessio[    jjiq  Am 
of  the  battle  ground.  '  ||ooj).s  in  i 

For  the  numb.jrs  engaged  on    either  side,    thi<  was  unquoy    Hi),]  d^cidi 
tionably  one  of  tho  fairest,  most  soldierlike,  and  best  conte>tc':    ||,;it  t!ie   i 

actions  that  took  |>!r»ce  during   the  war.     The  British  loss  wo:    |  !,j.     j>,,| 

two   hundred  and    liiree    in  killed  and  wounded,  besides  soin    ^|o  w  ir!d 

prisoners.     The  loss  of  the  Am.^ricans  in   killed  and  woundct    fj,  ns-  ,'»  i) 

by  their  own  official    account  was  four  hundred  and  forty-onr,' 

besides  prisoners. 

Were  it  not  for  the    favorable  and   maste 

the    British  occupied,  and  the  stern   tenaci 

maintained    it  through  the  different  vicissi 

fought  action.     It  would  otherwise  have  be 

them  to  have  withstood,  for  a  moment,   the 

tacks  of  the  American  troops. 

The  author  having  taken  an  active  part  i 

ns  well  as    in  some  others,   has  thought  pro 

nute,  to  show  the  folly  of  those  who  assert, 

that  no  troops  in  the  world  can  compete  wi 

to  man,  m  a    fair  fight  in  the  open    field. 


talk — sheer    nons    ise 


'he  American   so 


present,  as  well  as  on  former  and  subs3qu(; 
ed  themselves  a    full  match    for  the  British 
whether  at  charging  uith  the   bayonet;    nu 
8hot,'particu!arly  whr-n  led  by  resolute  office 
ral  opportunities  of  witnessing  and  even 
this  assertion.     But,  it  may  be  objected,  that 
this  engagement  were  more  than  two  to  one 


V, 


md  haver, 
i  exerlioni 
t  made  an- 
Id-piece— 
i(;r  this  af. 
enter,  who 
At  this  cri- 


BATTLE    OP    CHRYSLKIVS    FARM. 


61 


vr.ark;  tlic  British  were  ail  regular  .soldiers,  in  the  highest  state 
of  disciplini;.  Tiicy  had  also  the  choice  of  position,  and  the 
wind  Iv.  iheir  favor;  which  must  he  admitted  ns  equal  to  half 
Hho  brittle.  Tiie  Americans,  on  the  other  hand,  were  undisci- 
i»linof!;  the  most  of  them  not  over  six  wreksi  in  the  service; 
more  rav.'  ri-cruits.  l>ut  as  an  olFset  to  this,  at  the  battle  of  the 
*!fhr\mes  the  British   were  nearly  three  to  one;  yet  tiicv  were 


brave  com- 
iod  off  tll«! 
s  nppearoc 
;  battle.  1 
)k  them  io; 
lienving  ii 
er — retireii 
i  possessioF; 

vas  unquts- 
st  conte.-tci 

;sh    loss  NVH' 

-sides  soin 
id  woundei 
d  fortv-ono.( 


as  about  to,  coinpL-llod  to  surrond(?r,  in  a  fair  lip,ht  in  the  open  field,  to  a 
iinndl'iil  of  raw  Kentucky  volunteers.  Nevertheless,  it  must 
1)0  conceded  tiiat  generally  they  are  as  brave  and  as  well  dis- 
ciplined as  any  in  the  v/orKl;  but  thij  docs  not  prove  them  su^ 
tcrior  to  all  others. 

Before  closinfi;  these  remarks,   wo  v/onid  observe  that,  dur- 
ing the  battle  just    mcntiotied,   Iho  Americans   charged  as  of- 
ten ns  the  British,  and  with  a  like  success;   which    provc:^    that 
Hie  Amoricin  soldiers    are  at   least  a   match    for  iho    Btilibh 
Iroops  in  tlieir  ov.'n  vaunted   and  l^avorito  mode  of  ilghting  and 
ijiid  deciding  btittlcs.      Away,   then,  with  the  foolish,  s-iliy  idea 
^lat  the   British  can   beat    the   world   on  a  charge    in  a'l  open 
j  id.     B'.ii,  granting,   f)r  a   momi.'nt,   tiMt  the  British  can  beat 
^le  \v 'idd  in  a  e!)arge  in   ;in  open   llcdd,    it   must  then  bo  tidmit- 
::1,  ns  a  ])l'»in    matter  of  f;ict,   t!;at  as  the  Iv.'nlueky  voUuiteers 
ill  boat  t!ie   British  (v,'ho  c  in  b.;at   th3  worl  I)  (m   a  charge  in 
tti.'epiMi  (l>ld    at  the    river   Thnnvs,  lliat  \\;c  Kciiuckiaiis  can 
sition  whic    !;■ '/  //^^  E:i:-lish  and  (he  worhL      We   ItMtve    lie   reader  "o  his 
which  tht;-    <fn'n  rcfi  .'cli  )ns  on  th')  nuirits  ol' this  suiij   ct,  nn;lon!y  stat?  that 
■){   this  hiir;    |li,s  contrast  has  bc(-e.  drawn  witiiout  ■:\{\y  i-:t;.rit'r<n  to  disp.'v.'age 
possible  k    Ae  military  fame  of  the  British  troops,      its  object  is  rallicr  to 
pos'.^  the  unnatural  meanness  of  thosn  citizens  who  desire  to 
iiiild  up  ?>.u(\  confirm  the  military  character  and  prowess  of  for- 
ga  troops  at   the  expense  and  ruin  ol'  the  American  soldier's, 
liase  established  valor  and   military  reputation  stands  at  toast 
unl  to  at>y  in  t'ne  world. 

Gon.  Drummond,  a  British  ofliecr  of  liio  hin^hest  military  ac- 

lirenKMits,  and  who  liad  fought  in   Europe  and  Asia,   immedi- 

cly  after  the  battle  of  Lundy's  Lane,  declared  that  the  Amc- 

("■'m  troops  were  more  stubborn  aiul   unyielding  in  the  field  of 

tion  than  any  others  he  had  ever  encounlered. 

Col,  Morris,  who  commanded  at  Ciirysler's  farm,  remarked 

;i  conversation  with  one  of  his  otTicers,   shortly  after  the  ac- 

11,  that   the    Americans    were  equal,    if  not   5;uporior  to  the 

ronch  oti  a  charge,    and  very  tough  customers   at  long  sliotc 

ry  true.    »J^    ^  If  this  is  the  character  given  them  by  their  enemies,  surely 


I   furious  a'.- 

[ai  gage  men: 
be  thu-s  ni. 

en  maintain. 

British,  rria- 

is  mere  iJ^^ 
have,  ill  ^^■ 

.isions,  pv^''; 

G  open  fif'-^ 

ring,  or  Ion: 
has  had  ?=i'';. 
tlie  truth- 

American? ' 


,^^;|. 


.-t 


t        I    ^ 


M';  ^• 


V    !? 


.f! 


u 


,i„  ■  ♦ 


«! 


■!-'   > 


62 


BATTLE    OF    CIIRYSLI:R's    FARM. 


ihoy  ouglit  to  expect  something  similar  from  tlieir  friends  an;J 
countrymen  whoso  bailies  ihey  fought  with  so  mucli  credit, 
But  we  must  return  lo  our  subject. 

Immediately  nfter  tlie  action  at  Chrysler's,  Gen.  VVilkonson 
received  a  despatch  from  Gen.  Hampton,  stating  his  inability, 
for  want  of  provisions  and  the  lateness  of  the  season,  to  moci 
him  at  St.  Regis.  On  the  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  u  coun- 
cil of  war  was  summoned  by  Gen.  Wilkenson,  by  which  it  \v;is 
decided  not  to  aUaek  Montreal,  but  go  into  winter  quarters  ai 
French  Mills,  on  Salmon  river.  And  so  ended  the  carnpaigi! 
of  1813 — a  campaign  which,  after  the  victories  of  Lake  Krie! 
and  the  Thames,  gave  the  Americans  the  entire  control  n! 
Upper  Canada.  But  for  want  of  military  judgment  and  decisioH 
in  the  cornmander-in  chif;f,  a  proper  and  cordial  understandiiii: 
between  the  general  officers,  and  the  unfortunate  misundoi- 
standing  between  Gens.  Harrison  and  Armstrong,  (Jpj)er  ('a- 
nada  was  lost  and  Montreal  not  even  approached. 

The  Canadian   republicans   saw  the  lailure  with  regret,  ni 
deei)ly  deplored  it.   They  saw,  also,  their  sanguinely  cherislic 
iiopes  of  an  imn-.ediale  deliverance  from  tl^e  British  governmci;: 
irretrievaijiy  blask-d.    The  newt;  from  Kurope  convinced  iheii 
that  the  wars  in  that  quarter  were  about  terminating  in  favor  O! 
the  allies;  that  Great   Britain  would   be  able  to  send  out  eari; 
in  the  spring  an  army  sufi'iciontly  formidable,  not  only  to  gun     I 
the  frontier,  but  to  cairy  the   war  into  tho  United  States;  lli;     j 
it  was,  therefore,  their  interest  as  well  as  duty,  as  maltLTs  tur:     -' 
ed  out  so  unpropitiously,  to   make  a  virtue  of   necessity,  an     i 
reconcile   themselves  lo    their  lot — make    a  show  of    loyali     | 
where  none  exisled.     Their  confidence  in  the  ability  of  the  .\ 
mericans  to  conquer  the  Oanadas,   -ofter  neglecting  so  favorj 
ble  an  opporluniiy,  was  entirely  lo<t.   Consequently  they  turn     i 
cd  out  readily  afterwards,  to  do  their  turn  of  duty  when  calk     i 
upon.     The  loyalists  were  in  ecstasies  when,  in  place  of  hca: 
ing,  as  they  expected,   by  every  day's  express,  "the  surrcnd.    f 
of  Montreal,  it  was  officially  announced  that  Gen.   HamptoD.    ' 
on  entering  the  Lower  Province,  was  repulsed  at  Chaltangu    i 
by  a  handful  of  militia,  and  Gen.  Wilkenson  compelled,  al'k'    = 
the  battle  of  Nov.  11th,  to  go  into  winter  quarters.     Their  j"    I 
at  this  unexpected  turn  of  affairs  in  their  iavor,   was  unhoiiiKi-   * 
ed.  But  what  astonished  them  as  much,  was  the  sudden  chaiie    I 
of  the  disaffected.   In  the  month  of  December,  their  enthusiasin 
was  raised  to   the    i)ighest    pitch.     Despatches  were  receiv 


Ci- 


would  bo  .■ 
of  this  iui 
meiit.  I* 
over  to  fo 
from  the 
'j'he  niiliti 
(xertion  n 
About  I, 
W'ilkensoi 
tired  to  PI 
vince  with 
works  at 
loss.  Tlv 
liie  disgrai 
to  u  court 


from    the  war  office,    announcing  that   a  large  reinforce 


iiici 


ids  and 

credit, 

Ikcnson 

lability, 

to  muc't' 

u  couii-l 

li  it  wiis 

irters  at 

irDpaigiii 

ko  Eric 

ntrol  01 

(lecisioi! 

staiKliiii: 

isundui- 

pj)ur  (.'i- 

^rct,  ni! 
;lierishe. 
^crnmeii: 
ced  iheii 

favor  (" 
out  oar^; 

to  gun 
itos;  llii 
Ilts  liir: 
sity,  aiiii!   ; 
r    loyuii' 
of  the  -V 
o  favoM 
ley  turn- 
en  call'. 
i  of  licai- 
surrcnii.:    ' 
iainptoii. 
laltaiigii     1 
led,  aid'    ' 
rhoirj'i^    I 
unhoiunl-   * 
in  chaiiC'.'  a 
ithusiiu^iii 

receivci.' 

brcciiicii! 


ItATTLi:    OF   ClIKYSLER'S    FARM. 


63 


wD'.ili]  bc!  s  'lit  to  tlicir  relief,  early  in  the  spring.  The  recoipt 
of  this  iiitelligetice  gave  new  life  and  activity  to  every  depart- 
meitt.  Preparations  were  commenced  on  a  larger  scale  than 
ever  to  fortify  the  frontier;  laws  were  enacted  to  compel  moles, 
from  the  age  of  sixteen  to  sixty,  to  bear  arms  and  do  duty. — 
The  militia  were  placed  on  a  more  eflicicnl  footing;  and  every 
exertion  made  to  augment  the  navy. 

About  the  last  of  February  or  the  first  of  March,  1814,  Gen. 
Wilkenson  broke  up  his  encampment  at  French  Mills,  and  re- 
tired to  Plattsburgh.  On  the  130th,  ho  entered  the  Lower  Pro- 
vince with  4000  men.  The  next  day  he  attacked  the  British 
works  at  La  Cole  Mills,  an  I  was  repulsed  with  considerable 
loss.  The  unfortunate  lermiiiation  of  the  last  campaign,  and 
liie  disgraceful  issue  of  this  invasion,  brought  Gen.  Wilkensou 
to  a  court  martial,  which  reluctantly  acquitted  him. 


!  i 


'1 4 


\ 


m^ 


w^^ 


CHAPTER  Vlir. 

Baltic  of  Lvmdy'ti  Luuc, 


Nothing  furtiicr,  of  iniporlanco,  transpirrd  until  the  3d  oi 
July,  when  Gcii.  l>rowii,  at  tijo  liond  vi'  40()()  cllc'Ctive  mon, 
crossud  tlie  Niagani  rivrr,  and  f«u)k  pMSi-tit^Hiou  of  I'ort  Eri-,  I 
which  surreiidi-'ied  without  nriy  rcsislaMC\  Th^^  next  day,  lie 
murched  with  his  army  to  attack  tho'  Jlriiish  foicos  at  Chippr- 
wa,  caiiimundud  by  Gcu.  iiiali.  l]<jth  armies  mot  on  tiio  open 
field.  Tho  contest  was  oLvstinalo  and  l)!i)wdy.  In  tiiis,  as  :\[ 
Chrysler's  Farm,  iho  Amoii«:an  commander  cisplaycd  consi;!. 
erablo  military  scionco,  and  tho  men  an  unyielding  determina- 
tion. Thj  Urilish  fought  with  their  usu;il  bravery,  and  f.;- 
sometime,  victory  seemed  to  incline  in  their  favor,  but  finally, 
tiio  Americans  charg(;d  with  such  fuiy,  tliat  they  broke  thcij- 
lines,  and  drove  ihcm  fiom  their  intrenchmcnts  with  iho  loss  of 
514  men,  and  compelled  them  to  retreat  towards  Burlington 
Heights.  The  American  loss  was  t32S.  I  fere,  again  wc  see, 
tho  American-^  more  than  a  match  for  the  liritish,  on  a  chargr 
in  the  0|)cn  field.  It  is  true,  they  were  more  numerous,  IjuI 
the  British  were  strongly  intrenched,  and  had  the  advantage  of 
position.  The  news  of  this  defeat  spread  a  momentary  glooiv, 
over  the*  Royalists.  Li^'t,  (Jen.  Drunniiond,  on  r(,'Ceiving  thi 
official  despatchciS  relative  to  the  alliur,  left  Kingston  with  a 
large  force,  joined  Gun.  Uiall  at  Burliiis^lon  ll(.'iglits;,  assumed 
tho  command,  and  inoTiediutely  advanced  towards  tho  Ameri- 
can encam|)ment.  On  the  Uolh,  the  opposing  armies  met  at 
Lundv's  Lane,  close  to  the  falls  of  Niai^ara,  and  one  of  tlic 
most  obstinate  engagements,  record(.d  in  modern  warfare,  fol- 
lowed. Late  in  tho  aflernoon,  tho  advance  of  the  Arrjcrican::', 
under  Brevet  Gen.  Scott,  advanced  in  line  ofb.ittl(\  in  the  face 
of  n  tremendous  and  destructive  fire;  with  unflinching  firmness, 
until  they  occujjied  a  favorable  position.  The  firing  was 
now  carried  on  v/itli  deadly  effect  on  both  sides,  the  Britisli 
numbering  at  least,  two  to  one.  During  this  unequal  part  of 
the  contest,  Gen.  Scott  maintained  his  ground  with  an  obstina- 


cy and   pc 

Ulliatrl)' 

the  battle, 
represent." 
rolling   vo 
far  a  momf 
eminence 
cam'.'  on  w 
(M'catly  th( 
fdl.  the  I 
llritish,  an 
Thf'sc  wer 
jinsited  in 
now  fairly 
wnidd  not  t 
uiiition  was 
night  being 
(Tiiish  each 
iimii  of  the 
i'k'  I'rilish, 
I'd  their  fli 
/)  thon^  7nij 

f\'\\  SUpj)OS 

t'lnvi  with  ; 
ikir  fill  she. 
on!" red  to 
promptly  e 
f.iit  they 
niul  in  the 
distance  to 
r  ri!".  mistf 
Oil  f\s  such 
to  rulvanco 
Ivcgiments 
ish  held  oi1 
tlir>89th.'' 
The  word  ' 
vancing  to^ 
a  strong  d- 
cident,  wei 
ensued.  I 
ihoulder  t( 


N- 


n,. 


n.\TTLr.    OF  LUNDY  S    hXifE. 


65 


do  3(.l  (,! 

ve  nicii, 

)rt  Eri', 

(lav,  he 

Clii ;)[)('. 

ilio  OpCl! 

lis,  us  in 

I  consid. 

tcnniiiii. 

ami    ('(.r 

.  final  I V, 

•kc  ihcir 

e  loss  of 

rliiigton 

vv'c  sec, 

I  cliargT 

OLIS,    IjUI 

ilago  of 
y  gloon, 
zing  fht 
with  a 
ssuincd 
Amcri- 
^  met  at 
i  of  tlic 
I  re,  fol- 
Ji'icaii.r, 
he  face 
'mnes:>, 
ng  was 
Britisii 
part  of 
bstino  • 


cy  nrul  pcrsnvcranco,  wliinli  astonished  his  rncmlcs;  but  for- 
tiirinttly,  Gcii.  Ripley  coining  down  to  liis  nssistance,  restored 
the  hatlle.  'J'lif!  firing  of  the  cxter)de(l  lines,  Torn  low  niornent^j 
reprt'seiiti'd  conflicting  sheets  o{  lurid  llan)(%  sporting  benenlh 
idlliiig  voliMDos  of  smoke.  It  was  a  grand  and  terrillc  sight; 
lor  a  moment,  tlin  British  gave  gronnd,  to  take  u  posilion  on  nn 
Liiiinenco  in  rear  of  their  riglit.  Gl'M.  Brown,  at  this  time, 
came  on  with  the  reserve;  the  AmerioatiH  had  now,  lor  a  while, 
(;ically  the  advantage  i:i  nnmljers,  l)Ut  aa  the  niglit  b(^gun  to 
I'aij.  the  lOlth  Kcgiment  and  si»me  flank  companies  joiiuMJ  the 
Drilish,  and  placed  the  coml)atting  arnii'\s  nearly  on  ti  footing. 
These  were  ord(M-ed  on  tlie  ri^iit  of  the  Royaiisis,  who  were 
posted  in  a  plongl)(!d  fi(d(J.  The  str(;ngtli  of  both  sides  was 
now  fairly  engaged,  except  the  militia,  wlioiu  Cien.  Driimmond 
WMiild  not  trnst,  and  wlio  were  ordered  to  the  rear.  Their  am- 
u:iitioii  was  tak(M)  from  tliem  and  given  to  llio  regulars.  The 
night  being  pitcliy  dark,  the  etnit  Miding  armies conid  only  distin- 
•Tiiish  each  other  by  the  flashes  of  t'ueir  firiiifj.  A  lieavy  col- 
iimii  of  the  Americans  advanced  unperceivcMl,  to  the  right  of 
!'i"  Hritish,  who  *vere  obliged  to  wh(!ol  back  on  their  left  to  pro- 
l';ct  their  flank,  Gen.  DriimnK^nd  crying  out  to  his  men,  ^^stick 
/'  thcm^  my  fine  fell ou's,^^  at  the  same  time,  an  American  ofll- 
i\'\\  supposed  t )  be  Gi-n.  Scott,  in  animating  his  men,  directed 
I'loin  \vit.h  a  stentorian  voice,  ^^Icvcl  low,  mi/  hrave  boj/s,  fire  at 
llicirJlasJies.'^  The  conmianding  oflicer  of  the  89th  Regt.  was 
ord'M'cd  to  charge  tins  column  of  Americans,  which  was 
promptly  executed,  by  driving  them  down  the  slope  of  the  bill. 
Hut  thoy  instantly  rallicid  at  the  I)aKe,  and  left  of  the  bill, 
niid  in  their  turn,  charged- tiie  Royals  and  drove  them  some 
distance  to  the  rear.  The  89th  coming  up  at  tbistimcN  in  their 
r  ar.  mistook  them  for  the  Iioyals,  and  were;  letting  them  pass 
on  as  such,  but  while  tlu^v  were  inclining  to  the  lei't,  they  had 
to  ndvaiicc  in  front  of  the  Grenadiers  of  the  lOlth  and  lOHd 
Hf'g'inents.  who  wore  in  ihe  act  of  firing  at  them  when  a  Brit- 
ish Held  oiTicer  rode  up  and  ordcn'od  them  not  to  fire,  as  "it  was 
tlif'89th,"  The  Americans  took  the  liiiit,  and  called  out, the  89tli 
'i  lie  word  *'rccover  arms,*'  was  given,  and,  as  they  were  ad- 
vancing towards  tlieir  own  lines,  ihoy  came  in  contact  with 
ti  strong  detachment  of  the  49tli  and  Royals,  who,  by  some  ac- 
cident, were  far  in  advance  of  their  own  line;  a  dreadful  scene 
ensued.  It  was,  for  some  moments,  the  reign  of  carnage; — 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  foot  to  foot,  the    combatants   fought  witli 


4 


^•' 


■  •  i' 


:,!• 

|-i; 


65 


BATTLE    OE    LUNDY  S    LANI?. 


r, 

if 

) 

more  than  mortal  energy; — for  a  few  mirjnt(!s,  nothing  wasj 
lieard  in  that  section  of  the  field,  but  the  rattling  of  bayoncl?; 
the  clashing  of  swords, — the  deep  grotuia  of  the  dying,  and  tlnj 
siirieking  cries  of  the  wounded.  'I'ne  Glengarries  marched  to 
tiio  assistance  oflheir  friends,  but,  from  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  they  mistook  the  49ih  and  lloyais,  for  the  Amen. 
i;an  troops,  which  enabled  the  lattor  to  retire  unmolested.— 
"I'lie  firiiig  from  tiis  iiiitish  and  American  lines,  resembled  ;: 
(jniok  succession  ofs!ioit  rolling  (lashes  of  iiglUning.  It  wa;s  a 
t '.and  but  toriific  siorisl.  A  heavy  column  of  the  American 
charg''d  the  British  liglit,  seized  their  cannon,  and  drove  then; 
b-yond  the  hill.      Thoy  attemj)te(l  to  reiaUe  them,  but  were  re- 


pulsed with  a  heavy  loss.  I'he  AmOiicans,  for  want  of  means, 
to  bring  them  aw.iy,  spil:ed  a  few,  and  left  thein  on  the  grounij 
where  the  British  took  tliem  in  possession.  About  11  o'clcck, 
P  M.,  the  firing  bet^an  to  slaclcen  on  both  sides;  at  half  pn>; 
eleven,  it  ceascnl  with  a  few  occasional  random  shots.  Tlui 
ended  one  of  the  most  di'sporato,  bloody,  and  obstinate  engage- 
ments tiiat  overtook  place  on  the  continent  of  America.  1; 
was  a  drawn  bi'tle,  ntjiihor  party  having  gained  ihe  least  nd 
vantage.  The  lield,  the  ne.xt  morning  present',  d  an  awful  sigh: 
The  Briton  andtiie  American,  lay  stretched  at  musket's  Iciitli 
each  with  his  bayonet  plunged  deep  in  the  others  brea.-t,- 
Some  time  after  ti)o  action,  the  dead  of  both  armies  were  coi 
lected  by  the  Biitiih  'dud  piled  in  tiers  alternately  v»'ith  tiers  o; 
rails,  and  burned. 

Both  armies  remained  on  the  ground  until  a  little  before  da} 
light,  when  the  ^Vmericans  retired  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile.— 
Both  parties  were  so  clU  up,  that  neitiier  was   in  a  state   to  re 
new  the  action.      The  American-;  shortly    aftiM'wards  fell   baci; 
to  Fort  Erie,  the  British  following  at  a   respectful  distance. 

After  this  sanguinary  engagrMiient.  the  reader  can  judgi 
whether  the  Americans  are  a  match  for  the  British,  on  a  charg. 
in  an  open  field,  eitiuM-  by  night  or  day.  The  British  lost  it 
killed  and  wounded,  B77,      American,  do.   8G0. 

On  the  4th  of  August,  (i^tui.  Drummond  invested  Fort  Biii 
with  3000  men,  and  on  the  15th,  attempted  to  carry  it  by  :r' 
sault,  but  was  repulsed  with  a  loss  of  GOO  men.  On  the  17tL 
the  Americans  made  a  sortie,  and  compelled  Gon-  Drumnioii'. 
to  raise  the  siege  and  retire  with  great  loss.  Gen.  Izzard  hav- 
ing arrived  to  the  relief  of  the  besieged,  with  5000  men,  afle; 
leaving  a  respectable  garrison  in  the  Fort,  advanced  towani; 
Chippewa,  where  Gen,    Drummond   had  taken   post.     On  the 


20thofOcl 
or  party  hn 
rived  at  Qi 
ill  Franco. 
Canadas,hr 
ince,  was  I 
the  scat  of' 


ig  wa.'j 

iikI  till] 
chcd  tp. 
of  the 
Amcri- 
stcd.- 
nblodi; 

t   WIIS  u 

oricaii 
^e  thciv, 
;crc  re- 

grounii 
o'clock, 
lalf  p;b'. 
,  Tliii. 
engage- 
"ica.  1. 
east  n'!' 
ul  sigl,:. 
's  leiitli: 
ii'ca.-t,- 

OIG   COi 

tiers  oi 

ore  da} 
mile.— 

c  to  ve- 
il bad; 

lince. 


a  charg.j 
lost  iii 


or 


t  Krii 
It  by  '■'" 
ho  i7tL 
•Limnioii! 

en,  afte;!! 
towarii;  '^ 
On  tlie    I 


BATTLE  OP  LUNDY's  LANE. 


67 


20th  of  October,  anothercngngement  took  place  in  which  neith- 
er party  had  the  advantage.  Largo  reinforcements  having  ar- 
rived at  Quebec  during  the  summer,  from  Wellington's  army 
ill  France.  Sir  George  Provost,  the  Governor  General  of  the 
Camdas, having  sent  strong  reinforcements  to  the  Upper  Prov- 
ince, was  busily  employed  in  makin;*  preparations,  to  remove 
the  soat  of  war  from  the  Canadian  frontier  to  the  United  StfUc;?. 


•   » 


■Mi 


I.  '.'Ill 


F  i  l|( 


h 


J  ^ 


,,:: 


'  il 


m 


iC't 

I 


>  t;t  i 


CEl AFTER  IX. 

Battles  of  Plattsbiir2:h  and  Nevv-Orloans. 


An  army  oftiurtecn  thousand  innn,  and  a  numerous  train  of 
artilK^ry,  wore  concentrating  at  Montreal,  Cli;\nib!y  and  St. 
Johns;'|)r(^paralory  to  a  (l(>sccnt  on  Phittsbiirgli.  Gen.  M'Comb, 
tlio  American  comnifindcr,  havin<^  early  inlflligonco  of  Sir 
George's  design,  made  every  preparation  which  time  and  means 
aliowcid,  to  give  the  invaders  a  warm  reception 

Ahout  the  1st  efSeptemher,  this  large  army  marched  in  three 
divisions, which  arrived  in  r(\gnlar  succession  at  Pluttsburgh,b'j- 
jbre  the  ev(ming  of  liie  lOili. 

At  this  time,  the  American  fleet,  commanded  by  Com.  M'- 
Donoiigb,  was  Iving  to  the  southwest  of  the  month  of  tiie  Sar- 
anac,  |)r<^p:ired  to  receive  the  enemy.  On  the  11th,  the  T>ri- 
tish  flotilla,  under  Ca[)t.  Downie,  was  seen  rounding  Cumber- 
land I1(\ad,  ami  be;irin2:  towards  the  American  flc^d.  On  a  pre- 
concerted signal,  the  IJrilish  land  forces  were  tf  attack  tlie  foit 
the  instant  tlu;  fl.-ets  becfime  engageil.  The  moi^ient  the  fir.-t 
broadsiile  was  heard,  Sir  George  opened  his  batteries,  pouring 
tremendous  showers  of  rockets,  balls  and  sh;dls  at  the  Ameri- 
can works,  which  were  not  slow  in  answering  by  a  steady  and 
well  directed  fire.  The  British  troops  m;u!(i  sevrral  desperaio 
eflbrts  to  cross  the  Saranac  and  carry  the  works;  but  were  as 
often  repulsed  with  serious  loss.  In  ono  of  the^e  attempts  t!io 
70th  regiment  was  nearly  literally  cut  to  pieces.  After  tw) 
iiours  hard  lighting,  the  Hags  of  the  American  fl'ct  waved  tri- 
umphantly over  the  waters  of  r^ake  C'larnplain. 

A  short  lime  aftcM-wards,  the  gallant  Gm.  M'Comb,  with 
his  fiffecn  hundred  Vermont  and  New-York  volunteers,  silen- 
ced the  IJritish  batti^'it^s,  and  compelled  Sir  George  Provost, 
with  his  immense  train  of  artillery,  and  thirteen  thou«=:and  \\'c!- 
lington  veterans,  to  retreat,  miims  twcnty-fivo  liundred  men. 
and  two-thirds  of  his   military  stores. 

Such  was  the  chagrin  of  these  hitherto  victorious  troops  ;)? 
the  disgracetul  result  of  this  action,  that  five  hundred  and  u[i- 
wards  threw  dcnvn  their  arms  and  deserted,     (tgu^.  Power  and 


nijother  s 

The  re  I 

sertiiig  by 

the  wound 

(dl  IbniiLM' 

jiKuitaii  ill 

Sir  Geo 

to  stcUid  tr, 

before  it  c; 

Victory 

cans  full  a 

lii'^t  year  o 

Oil    the 

the  coniina 

Packenlhar 

the  8th  of. 

morican  w( 

advancing 

iipsulestru 

Vviliislandii 

v;ert^  openi 

canio  witiiii 

kets  and  rif 

of  death  upi 

Jhindred.s  ft 

Packenham 

second  tiuK 

But  this  att( 

tiiey  broke  v 

ni'^et  n  nion 

biiiio-  so  vert 

Thojiold 

The  IJritish 

HJcn.    The 

On  t!ie  le 

P'lg-,,  satisfie 

toiiofher  matt 

With  this 

^■^urat  Plat 

«mericaa  ar 


Brisbane  declared  to  Sir  George  tliat  "they  would  never  draw    | 


liATTLE    OF    PLATTSBUllGH. 


60 


ram  oi 
nd  St. 
Coirb, 
of  Sir 
monns 

n  three 
•gh,b'j- 

in.  M'- 

iie  Snr- 

10  r>i'i- 

iumbev- 
1  a  pro- 
tliG  iV'Vl 
he  lif.^t 
louriiig 
Amori- 
|i(]y  ami 
pcrai: 
I' ere  ns 
ipt3  t!ic 
r  tw" 
ivcd  tri- 

[b,  wit'i 
sileii- 
'rovost. 
Id  We- 
'd men. 

1*00 p  3  nt 
Liid  111*' 
•cr  aii'l 
■v  draw 


niiotlier  sword  under  his  command   in   North-America." 

Tlie  reirciit  finally  turned  into  a  flight ;  the  soldiers  de- 
serting hy  coujpanies.  The  dead  were  lelt  unburied,  and 
the  wounded  to  the  humanity  of  their  enemies,  who,  as  on 
all  (ormer  occasions  during  the  war,  proved  rather  the  Sa- 
jiuu'itan  than  tlio  foe. 

Sir  Geor^-o  was  called  lionic  immediately  after  the  war. 
to  stand  trial ;  hut  died,  it  was  snp[ioscd  oi  a  broken  heart, 
boibre  it  came  on. 

Victory  appear(!d  now  determined  to  make  the  Aiperi- 
caiis  full  and  complete  amends  lor  the  misibrtuncs  of  the 
iirst  year  of  the  wiw. 

Oil  th(^  2:id  December,  15,000  l^ritish  veterans,  under 
tiie  command  of  tlio  hitherto  victorious  Gen.  Sir  Edward 
Packenham,  landed  below  the  city  oi  New-Orleans.  On 
the  8tli  of  .lanuary,  he  led  ihem  in  person  to  attack  the  A- 
lucrican  works,  connnanded  l)y  Gen.  Jackson.  On  their 
advancing  within  range,  the  American  batteries  poured  a 
upsldestructive  lire  on  their  cohmms.  The  British  not- 
Vvillislandiug  advanced — closed  their  ranks  as  fast  as  they 
v;cro  opened  by  the  lire  of  tlicir  enemy.  At  length  they 
caiiia  within  reach  of  the  small  arms.  Six  thousand  mus- 
kets and  rifles  instantaneously  poured  an  incessant  torrent 
ofdcatliupou  the  assailants.  The  shock  was  terrible. — 
iluudreds  fell.  Being  imablc  to  proceed,  they  lied.  Geit. 
Pdckeiiham.  in  attempting  to  rally  them  was  killed.  A 
second  time  tliey  advanced  under  Gens.  Gibbs  and  Kean. 
But  this  attempt  proved  more  deadly  than  the  fust.  Again 
tiioy  broke  and  lj(d.  Again  they  rally  and  advance,  but  to 
ni'ct  a  more  certain  destruction.  Gens.  Gibbs  a. id  Kean 
bLiiii^-  severely  wounded,  they  lied  in  every  direction. 

The  lield  of  action  preseiUed  a  dreadful  scene  of  carnage. 
The  British  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  amounted  to  4000 
fficii.    The  Americans  had  only  13  killed  and  wounded. 

(hi  tlie  IStli  the  British  embarked  on  board  their  ship- 
ping" satisfied  tfiat  American  soldiers  were  made  of  rather 
tou:rher  materials  than  the  Frencli. 

With  this  engagement  the  war  closed,  which,  with  t[ie 
I  affair  at  Plattsbiirgh,  cast  as  brilliant  a  halo  of  glory  on  the 
(American  arms,  as  the  battle  of  Waterloo  did  on  the  Bri- 


Mv't 


1^  iM' 


'0 


BaI'TLI-:    of    NEW-OllLEANS. 


1  Tr 


tish  ill  1815— lor  the  British  beat  the  French,  and  the  A 
mericans  beat  the  British. 

Let  it  be  remembered,  that  ever  since  the  capture  oC  Lit- 
tle York,  in  April,  1813,  the  American  troops  longht  witli| 
a  gallantry  and  determination  that  destroyed  the  conceit, 
mortified  the  j)ride,  and  cooled  the  vaunting  military  ardor 
ot  their  haughty  enemy;  and  compelled  them  to  acknow- 
ledge that  they  were  the  most  ohsthiate  and  unyielding  ca 
eniy  they  had  ever  iner.  And  as  an  act  of  justice  it  must 
be  admitted,  if  they  did  not  exceed,  they  at  least  rivaled  the 
heroes  ot'the  revolution. 

The  English  having  beat  the  French  out  of"  Spain  and 
Portugal ;  and  carried  by  assault  ibrtifications  deemed  im 
pregnable — sLxh  as  Badagos,  naturally  enough  imbibed  tin 
idea  that  they  were  more  than  a  match  for  any  other  troops 
in  the  world.  They  looked  upon  the  Americans,  there 
fore,  vviien  compared  with  the  accomplished  French  sol 
diers,  as  mere  feather-bed  recruits,  and  hardly  deserving 
the  name  of  soldiers.  But  the  battles  of  the  Thames,  Chip 
pewa,  Lundy's  J.iane,  <fcc.  taught  them  a  lesson  they  cat; 
never  forget,  and  which  extorted  from  Gen.  Rial!,  at  tli 
battle  of  Chippewa,  the  exclamation,  ^'•Damn  them^  Im 
tlieyjightr 

It  is  singular,  that  after  tlie  taking  ot  the  capital  of  Up 
per  Canada,  the  Americans  rather  sought  for,  than  avoidei 
a  battle  with  the  British.  And  although  not  always  sue 
cessful,  yet  they  were  seldom  beaten.  This  is  an  establish 
ed  fact. 

A  parallel  to  the  defence  of  Plattsburgh  and  New-Orlenii; 
may  in  vain  be  sought  for  in  the  late  European  wars.  None 
to  equal  either  of  those  can  be  produced.  It  has  been  urg 
edby  British  apolojjists,  that  but  a  part  of  their  troops  wert 
in  the  affair  at  Plattsburgh.  This  is,  to  say  the  least,  a  ve 
ry  unmilitary  apology.  Tiiey  were  all  there,  and  undei 
arms  ;  and  it  only  serves  to  add  fresh  laurels  to  Gen.  31 
Comb's  reputation  for  superior  abilities  in  arranging  his 
defence,  so  as  to  prevent  the  whole  force  of  the  enenij 
bearing  upon  him  at  once.  He  repulsed  them  ;  took  twi 
thirds  of  Oieir  booty,  and  more  prisoners  than  he  had  men 
That  was  enough  ;  and  whether  he  captured  beauty  wil- 


the  booty  is 
as  if  flying  i 
the  action  tl 
Orleans,  ne 
ible;  but  tl 

The  Am< 
superior  to 
solitary  exc 
On  Lukes  { 
ed  the  Brit 
arc,  either  b 

Thus  enc 
having  i^aiii 
cean  and  la 

Iti  this  SI 
the  frontier, 
ledi^e  and  c 
subsequent 
of  Upper  C; 


the  A- 

o(  Lit- 
it  witli 
onccif, 
Y  ardor 
3k  now- 
ill  2:  en 
it  musi 
lied  the 

Liin  nnd 
ncd  im 
i  bed  tin 
r  troops 
;,  there 
ich  so 
jservin^ 
s,  Chip- 
ley  car. 
11,  at  tilt 
mi,  Im 

il  of  I'p 
avoidei^; 
ays  sue- 
stablisli. 

-Orleaii; 
s.  Noil? 
een  urg 
)ps  wert 
LSt,  a  ve 
d  iindei 
jren.  M' 
iging  hi! 
J  enenij 
3ok  twc 
lad  men 
uty  witii 


BATTLE    OP    NRW-ORLEANS. 


71 


the  booty  is  quite  iiiiiiiaterial.  The  British  fled  beilorehini 
;is  if  flying  i'i'om  au  earthquake.  At  the  commencement  of 
the  action  they  were  nine  to  one;  and  at  the  battle  of  New 
Orleans,  nearly  three  to  one.  This  appears  almost  incred- 
ible; but  they  are,  nevertheless,  stubborn  historical  facts. 

The  American  navy  on  the  main  proved,  on  fair  trial, 
superior  to  the  British  navy,  ship  to  ship,  with  only  one 
solitary  exception — that  of  the  Shannon  and  Chesapeake. 
On  Lakes  Erie  and  Champlain,  the  American  fl'3ets  captur- 
ed the  British.  All  of  which  proves  that  the  Americans 
arc,  either  by  sea  or  land,  a  match  for  the  British. 

Thus  ended  the  war  with  Great  Britain — neither  power 
havinsf  tiained  or  lost  one  inch  of  territorv.  But  on  the  o- 
cean  and  lakes,  the  American  navy  bore  away  the  palm. 

In  this  summary  of  the  principal  features  of  the  war  on 
the  frontier,  we  have  stated  the  facts  from  our  own  know- 
ledire  and  experience.  Wo  will  next  proceed  to  show  its 
siibsequeut  effects  on  the  administration  of  the  government 
of  Upper  Canada. 


;■■'  * 


,(!  i  II 


it! 

%  i 

•'■■'I 

M 


m^ 


•  I 


rT.. 


...  • 


OBAPrEll  X. 

(.H):i<!oqnciiccs  ol  the  War,  in  the  Provinci\ 


The  war  beiiiii^ovcr,  it  was  generally  believed,  from  the 
large  promises  liekl  forth  iit  Us  coiuiiieiieenKMit  by  Gen. 
Brock,  that  all  old  grievances  would  he  Ibrthwitli  redressd 
And  in  consequences  of  the  apparent  loyalty  of  all  classes, 
towards  the  latter  part  of  the  war.  the  (uithoritics  liavin:^  I 
witnessed  their  Fuiierinirs  and  losses,  that  iL,roverinnont 
would  adopt  a  more  lil)eral,  imj)artial,  jmd  conciliatory 
course  of  administration.  But  in  this  they  counted  with- 
out then*  host. 

As  Gi'U.  Brock  was  killed  in  the  early  pait  of  the  war 
and  Sir  Gt^oriiC  Provost  recalled  in  dis:>race,  their  proir-is- 
es  were  considered  no  loui'-er  hindinir.  '»'hc  militia  were 
dismissed  with  a  bare  '-^Tlumk yc' — tlie  i^rants  oi  land  pro- 
mised for  their  services  were  withheld,  on  the  plea  thnt 
they  were  entered  tor  actual  seltiers. 

Gov.  Gore,  on  assumiui>'  t!ie  administration,  after  his  ro- 
turn  from  Knii-land,  (indmi'-  himsell  so  warnjly  received  bv 
liis  old  companions  in  corruption,  ilie  executive  and  \q'^- 
islativ^e  councillors  :  and  lindln<2:,  by  their  representations, 
that  the  people  were  more  loyal  than  when  he  left  thom, 
and  that  his  arrival  spread  itniversal  joy  throusfhout  the 
Province,  conchided  that  this  arose  from  the  \\v^\\  opinioii 
entertained  of  his  former  adininistrntion.  Instead,  there- 
'tore,  of  inquiring;  into  the  real  state  of  affairs,  and  sliapiiii; 
his  administration  to  the  exia'ency  of  tlie  times,  he  adoj)tcd 
his  old  system — squanderinir  tlie  waste  lands  of  the  Crown 
by  thousands,  to  worthless  minions,  h^aviiiL'"  the  public  bu- 
siness of  the  Province  to  be  manaired  by  the  Executive 
Council,  as  best  suited  their  own  interests.  Tlie  House  of 
Assembly  l)einir  crcnerally  composed  of  plain,  j)oor,  unedu- 
cated farmers,  were,  in  consequence  of  the  vast  patronage  at 
the  disposal  of  the  Executive,  easily  brought  over  to  their 


Viioasures,  i 

iuiuistratioi' 

Tlu;  farn 

dilai)idateii 

,^ll;r  the  W!U 

piiiruig  and 

cceduigs  of 

(k^bales  wei 

newspapers 

what  was  t 

wore  but  tv 

\\\  181G 

about  to  be 

obsequious 

lor  his  imp 

of  the  choi 

sterhng  of 

rival  in  Ki 

>,L  a  time  v 

;e  exjiend 

'Jinn  John 

:loa  was  ;\j 

•-•i   the  Up 

:'ii''St,  or  \- 

:;ipiion. 

At  the  c 
■.^;';nal  sup} 
rheb'iller 
irol,  that 
I'ley  took 
\ic\\'s,  (Ui 
r:Mice. 

A  rujMt 
lowed,  wl 
The  low 
heaislativ 
mend  a  si 
approval, 
niaintainc 
U)  the  ]  [o 


I     !• 


COXftlXiUEN'CES    OF    TUF.    *WAR. 


73 


om  the 

classes, 
havin:^ 
riiinent 
iliatory 
d  with- 

Q     VJIW. 
pl'OU'lS- 

:ia  were 
<ntl  pro- 
loa  tiint 

r  his  ro- 
;ive(]  b\- 

0 

\nd  k'r- 
itations. 
t  tlipm, 
ont  tlie 
opinioii 
I,  them- 
sliapiii.^" 
adopted 
Crown 
blic  bii- 
ocntive 
.ouse  of 
iincdu- 
•nao-e  at 
to  their 


tvioasiires,  and  fteiice  few  lavvs,  but  such  as  favored  the^d- 
aiiiii^tration  were  enacted. 

TIk;  farms  of  -the  a<rricultnrists  beiui^  in  a  ruinous  and 
<lilapidalKl  stale,  fron)  their  beini];-  necessarily  neglected  dur- 
UMi  the  wiir,  the  fanners  were  too  busily  employed  in  rc- 
piiiruii>'  and  improvinu"  theni,to  j)ay  any  attention  to  the  pro- 
ccednigs  ot  their  rej)resentatives  in  the  Legislature.  'I'he 
dobaics  were  not  published  through  the  usual  medium  of 
newspapers ;  and  the  farmers  were  altoi^^ether  ignorant  of 
what  was  doing  in  their  Parliaminir.  At  this  period  there 
wore  but  two  nows])apers  in  the  Province. 

Jn  1810  it  was  ollicially  announced  that  Gov.  Gore  was 
about  to  be  recalled.  By  a  liint  iVom  the  Executive,  the 
obsequious  Assembly,  as  a  token  of  their  high  consideration 
for  his  imparting  to  them  individually,  by  patent,  tiiousands 
of  the  choice  hmds  of  the  Province,  granted  liini  £3000 
sterling  of  the  p(M">ple's  money,  to  jinrchase  plate  on  liis  ar- 
rival in  EniJ^land.  This  niiinorilod  sun:i  was  granted,  too, 
>,t  a  time  v/hen  the  people  could  not  obtain  one  farthing  to 
;e  cxpen(l(?d  on  their  roads,  Vvdiich  were  in  a  worse  state 
:iian  John  Hunyan's  sioui^h  of  (lesjiond.  This  appropiia- 
tion  was  afterv.'ards  called  the  fS'pooit  IViU.  Nv^  Governor 
^^i  the  l'pp<-i  i-^rovince  (M'cr  (iesei-v;.;(l  loss  from  tlie  j'.ubiiv', 
•i.'st,  or  received  more  than  t'lis  f:lL;)ice  sp:?('i;nen  of  cor- 
iiniion. 

At  the  close  of  the  same  sossh)-).  tlje  Assend)!y  passed  tlie 
.^:;nal  supply  bill  ;  sent  it  to  the  upper  houses  lor  adoption, 
The  latter  thought  the  lower  house  so  |)er(ectly  at  their  con- 
trol, that  instead  of  aeceptinL:  or  rejecting  the  bill  in  toto. 
;'un-  took  tlie  liberty  to  alter  aii:i  amend  it  to  suit  their 
views,  and  retiirned  it  to  the  /issembly  for  their  concnv 
r;^nce. 

A  rujMure  between  t!ie:^e  branehesof  the  Legislature  fo! 
lowed,  which  nearly  involved  the  Province  in  a  civil  v/.tr. 
'i'he  lower  I lousij  constitutionally  maintained  that  tlic 
heaislativo  Council  liad  no  riidit  w'latever  to  alter  or  a- 
mend  a  single  item  of  any  money  l)ill  sent  them  for  their 
approval.  On  the  other  hand  the  Council  as  stubbornly 
maintained  the  contrary,  'i'he  subjrct  was  finally  refe^-r^d 
'0  the  Home  Government,  v/ho  decided  in  favor  of  the  low 


'^ 


•■"f.. 


.  1 


■i*-i<. 


■Wi'' 


J. 


'■p-'i 


111 


(/-. 


i 


CONSKCIUEXCES    OF    TIIK    WAK. 


r 


er  !iouse.  Had  they  tamely  yielded  this  privileoe,  then 
pittance  of  liberty  would    have  forever  been   amiihihitod, 

From  this  time  forward  the  Legislative  Council  took;: 
decided  stand  against  the  House  of  Assembly — asseitid 
their  hii]:h  authority,  by  strangling  every  bill  which  it  pasv 
ed,  however  benelicial  to  the  welfare  of  the  Province,  noi 
in  strict  accoidancc  with  their  aristocratical  views  and 
principles. 

In  1817,  IMr.  Robert  F.  Gourlay,  a  gentleman  of  family 
and  distinction  from  Fifeshire,  in  Scotland,  bemg  somewlia; 
reduced  ni  his  circmnstances,  preceded  his  family,  to  pre 
pare  a  location  and  settle  with  them  in  the  Province.- 
Shortly  after  his  arrival,  an  invitation  was  given  him  to 
visit  Little  York,  the  seat  of  government,  to  make  liiniscli 
acquainted  with  the  affairs  of  the  Province.  This 
invitation  was  accepted.  On  visiting  the  several  govern- 
ment departments  and  inquiring  into  the  public  affairs  o; 
the  administration,  the  glaring  mass  of  corruption  and  ex- 
tortion which  met  his  eye  at  every  glance,  and  in  every 
quarter,  astonished  iiim  to  that  degree,  that  lie  hardly  be- 
lieved it  possible.  But  the  more  he  inquired,  the  more  he 
was  convinced.  'I'lie  liljertiesof  the  people  he  found  little 
superior  to  Russian  serfs — the  House  of  Assembly,  a 
mockery  ol  representation — the  bench  of  justice  as  corrnpi 
as  can  be  imagined,  and  prostituted  to  party  purposes — the 
magistrates  chosen  for  their  ignorance  and  sycophancy- 
the  adherants  of  an  established  church  dominant  in  everv 

* 

office — the  revenues  of  the  Province  unaccounted  for; 
squandered  in  pensions  and  sinecures,  on  old  lawyers 
and  worn-out  judges  and  flatterers — tlie  people  high 
ly  taxed,  without  receiving  any  benefit — the  land  offi- 
ces inaccessible  to  the  poor  emigrant,  from  exorbitant  fees 
— the  waste  lands  of  the  Oown  frittered  away  in  surpris- 
ingly large  blocks,  for  a  trifle,  to  favorites,  while  the  poor 
man  could  hardly  obtain  a  lot — the  improvement  of  their 
roads  left  to  statute  labor — the  natural  resources  of  the 
Province  lying  dormant  for  want  of  encouragement  to 
men  of  capital  and  enterprise.  This  was  what  Mr.  Gour- 
lay called  ^'' the  reign  of  corruption,  run  mad.'^ 

He  immediately  communicated  the  result  of  his  inqui- 


ries to  the  ] 
own  and  t! 
iiias,  draw 
and  respect 
home  1:0  ver 
his  Majesty 
and  extent 
bv  the  pro' 
L'ppor  Can 
novorniiien 
to  its  utmo 
matters  we 
And  in  ord 
fully,  he  ui 
address  ti)« 
tion. 

The  leec 
llieiremissi 
the  public 
counteract 
could.  Bi 
be  misled,  < 
malice  cou 
entrap  the 

"At  the  r 
difficulty  i 
one  to  call 
pretence  v 

MrGoi 
ino  ths  in 
prived  of 
ruined,  hij 
his  in  telle 
demned,  r 

Mr.  Fe 
lions,  waj 
ly  cruel  u 

The  Br 
viuce,  at 
cal  schoo 


r^',  thoii 

fliilated. 

jl  took;! 

iisscjtcd 

it  pasv- 

incGj  1101 

Iws    Ullli 


f  lamily 
me  Willi 
,  to  pri). 
Ivince.- 
liini  to 
liiiiK^eli 
This 
iroverii- 
Itairs  o; 
and  ex- 
in  every 
irdly  be- 
more  he 
ind  little 
mbly,  a 
1  corrnjii 
ses — the 
hancy- 
in  every 
ted  for; 
lawyers 
ie   high 
md   otfi- 
tant  fees 
suVpris- 
the  poor 
of  their 
s  of  the 
ment  to 
'.  Gour- 

s  inqui- 


rONSKUUENCKS    OF    THE    WAR. 


rics  to  the  public;  caiUid  upon  tluirii,  ns  they  valued  their 
own  and  llioir  country's  welfare,  to  call  township  meet- 
iiias,  draw  up  resolutions  expressive  of  their  tirievaiices, 
ciiid  respectfully  embody  them  in  petitions  for  redress  to  the 
home  <,rovernrnent— that  they  niiuht  be  assured  that  neither 
his  Majesty  nor  his  ministers  knew  any  thingof  the  nature 
and  extent  of  the  malversation  and  corruptions  practised 
by'  the  provincial  (government  on  his  faithful  sul)jects  in 
I'ppor  Canada.  That  it  was  the  intention  of  the  imperial 
n-overnment  that  they  should  enjoy  the  British  constitution 
to  its  utmost  extent ;  instead  of  which,  they  had  not,  as 
iuatters  were  conduct(Mj,  even  the  sliade  of  its  shadow. 
And  in  order  to  convince  them  of  this  tact  more  fairly  and 
j(]!iy,  he  undertook  to  travel  through  every  tovvnship,  and 
address  tiieni  on  every  particular — challenging  contradic- 
tion. 

The  leeclies  of  corruption  took  the  alarm;  despatched 
their  emissaries  in  every  direction,  to  ])rejudice  and  i'orestall 
the  public  mind,  calumniate  his  character  and  motives, 
counteract  his  efforts,  and  brow-beat  him  wherever  they 
could.  But  finding  the  people  too  firm  and  enlightened  to 
be  misled,  and  seeing  their  craft  in  danger,  ever  artifice  that 
malice  could  suo'gest  or  cunning  devise  was  resorted  to,  to 
entrap  the  patriot  in  the  meshes  of  the  law. 

At  the  next  sessions  of  the  Assembly,  they  foimd  little 
difiiculty  in  bribing  the  members  to  make  it  felony  lor  any 
one  to  call  or  attend  political  meetins^s  of  any  kind  on  any 
pretence  whatever.     They  succeeded. 

Mr.Gourlay  was  indicted  and  imprisoned  for  nine  long 
mo  ths  in  a  dark  dismal  dunsfeon,  fed  on  felon's  fare,  de- 
prived of  pen,  ink  and  paper.  At  length,  with  his  health 
ruined,  his  constitution  broken,  his  strength  prostrated,  and 
his  intellect  impaired,  he  wasbrouirht  to  a  mock  trial,  con- 
demned, and  banished  to  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Ferguson,  the  editor  who  published  his  communica- 
tions, was  also  apprehended,  and  died  in  jail  from  extreme- 
ly cruel  usage. 

The  British  and  Irish  immigrants  that  settled  in  the  Pro- 
vince, at  this  time,  were  generally  of  the  old  country  radi- 
cal school,   and  consequently  united  themselves  with  the 


H 


,1* 

;       I 


;  '(■ 


f  i 


•|;i 


-r 


''■'■*•» 


•■    I 


Hi 


-I 


I 


i:t\^ 


\i 


;  !' 


!  ! 


;.; 


■  m 


T6 


CONSliatTKNCKS"  Of    TffK    «'A«. 


provincial  reformers  in  [lolitics,  which  so  annoyed  ll/c  tnry 
compact,  and  cormorants  inollicc,  ihai  to  prevent  their  tii. 
ture  increase,  they  prevailed  on  the  House  of  Assemhlyti 
petition  the  Imperial  Parliament  to  put  a  stop  to  any  !iir 
ther  emi^^ration  to  the  l*rovince  from  the  Diilish  Isles,  on 
the  ground  that  the  Province  was  overrun  with  |)au|)(M'so: 
the  worst  description,  wfio  were  too  ignorant  and  idle  t 
earn  an  honest  livelihood,  a  nuisance  to  the  country,  aiidd 
heavy  burden  on  the  more  industrious  classes  of  sutilers- 
than  which  nothing  could  he  more  false. 

hi   1820,   the   electors  ol   the   l^ovinee,    aroused  Iroi:; 
their  former   political   apathy,    as  it"  iVoni  a  \on<x  sluiiilicr 
encouraL,red  men  of  knou'ii   liberal  pniieiples  and  laleiil  t. 
oiler  themselves  as  candidates  lor  the  then  a[)proachuin  o 
lections.     Both   j)arties,   tories  and    rcformcry,   entered  tin 
Held,  at  this  time  wiLh  an  energy  and  resolution  never  bi 
fore  witnessed  in  the  Province.    Tiio  iormer  had  inlhioiu 
and  means.     The  latter  had  some  inliuenee,  hut  no  mean;; 
Tlie  election  day  came,  and  furnished  a  .scene  which  is  noi 
to  be  met  with   any  wiiere  else  than  at  a  (^anada  clectioi,, 
The  taverns  wore  o[)ened  by  the  candidates  to  their  respec 
tive  friends,and  the  whiskey  and  rum,  wliich  liowed  ad  liii 
itiim,  soon  produced  the  worst  conso(iuences.    The  Tori.^ 
and  the  liberals,  each  niarshalled  tlicir  ibrces,  and  marclic. 
to  tiie  polls  with  colors  and  music,  wliorc  they  were  aimr> 
ed  with  promises  never  intended  to  be  fuKilled.     Tlie  To 
ries  raised  their   old  cries,  "Down   willi  the   Yankees: 
"Hurrah  for  Church  and  State."     The  reformers,  equally 
vociferous,  cried,  '•  l^lqual  Rights  and  Yankee  privilcii-es;" 
"  No  Cliurch  and  State  Corporation.''     Conlusion  bceaiik 
confounded.     The  Orange  band  struck  up,  "  Croppies  W 
Down,"  and  "  Tlie  P)oync  Water  ;"  while  the  Catholic  p;;! 
ty  cried,  "O'Connell  and  ould  Ireland.-'     The  .>liello!;i!; 
and  the  brick-bats  soon  made  their  appearance,     llurrnli' 
tlie  drunk  and  sober  are  all  at  it.     The  magistrates  lookiu 
on  and  encouraged  the  melee.  The  Oranaemen  at  last  ran 
the  Radicals  siioutimr  "Victory."     The  Scotch,  English 
ILE.  Loyalists,  and  Irish  songs  and  war  cries  were  heard 
above  the  confusion.     The  hustings  were  destroyed.  D;iii 
gerous  wounds  were  given  and  received  ;  till  at  last  soni 


(Iniukcii  ni; 

and  sfUt  an 

Sueii  rea 

Notwilb^ 

iiiin,  V.  bisk 

j.tnty  of  !iii 

(lis[)o--;il  oi  t 

(li-raiice  in 

tvrr  CiMivii 

means  ol   c 

would  aval 

ihe   iiitciili' 

iiuils  held 

iiiuni,  a;id 

personal  in 

Again  in 

this  crvm:r 

i! 


to  tlicir  h'o 
to  ilie  wolii 
lion-,  was 
^!r.  Wil 
as  CI  lief  J ! 
llio  diocha 
iiiid  thelip 
li'iv.pting  t 
tioii,  he  w 
iVoin  odici 

oreitly  i''\! 
About  1 
his  carcvH' 
he  was  til 
Hiilist  wl 
The  hidd 
lie  ferret' 
thing  wli 
wore  offe 
poise.  P* 
his  diligt 
Like  the 
iun[)liant 


-  i- 


'fi 


consi:(iui:ncj:.s  of  'iiik  war. 


77 


/O  t()t\ 


itMr  111. 
nbly 
|ny  iiir 
l<-'s,  oil 

idle  (i, 


(1  1 
iiiiii 


roi' 
)L'r 

:vor  U 
iiuciKi 
lui.'aiis 
li  is  iiiii 

ilectioi,. 
respe( 

[  adli'ii 

I  Tony. 

iiarcho.: 

C(jil;i;;; 
hccaiiic 

•pics  Ik' 

'lie  |>;:i- 
lellela! 
■urrnli 
lookiti 
»st  rail 
nijiis!/. 
)  I  loan! 
.  Dan 
it  sonr. 


diuiik<'ii  iniinisiratc^  just  ni.-ina^'cd  to  liicciip  "  'rro;\soii.'' 
ai;d  scut  an  ortkT  lor  llu;  iicirci^L  rc^nlais. 
Snc\i  rcn'.d'.T,  i^a  laiiit  itictiirc  ofti  L'aiiadian  (d(.'(!lioii." 
.\ut\vitK- laiidiiiii' t!i(!  cxirljoiis  of  ilii^ 'l.\)ii('s,  with  Ihcir 
iiiiH,  V.  lii>iv>'\',  and  sli(:l!aiali.s,  liuj  itdoniicrs  (skclcd  a  nia- 
|,iri(y  oi"  liihorals.  IJiit  tlu'  vast  means  ol"  piitronairo  at  llui 
(lispo.si!  (li'lli*;  MN-(!cntiVL',  soon  o!)tuinnd  lortliiMn  a  prcpon- 
(Knauco  in  liio  House.  The  people  were  now  morotliaii 
ever  conviiieiil    that  while    the  (.Juvernor    had  such  Viist 


means  0 1  corrni)tion  at  his  dispos;d,  the  eioctive  h'a.nchise 
would  avad  them  nothinii';  (hat  however  honest  and  pure 
I'le  jiiteiilions  of  newly  elected  menihers  niiii-ht  he,  the 
bails  held  li.rlh  weie  i^t-nerully  too  templing-  lor  many  ot" 
iliuni,  and  that  Ihcy  sacriliced  the  i)uhhc  wellare  (or  their 
personal  interest. 

Auain  they  ])etitioned  the  Home  Government  to  remedy 
this  eryiiJ!r  evil,  and  elleciuallv  stop  a  practice  so  ruinous 
to  tlicir  liherties,  and  so  demoralising^  iu  its  consequenc(?s 
to  I'le  w (iliare  of  the  L^rovince.  Tins,  like  all  Ibrmer  poti- 
iioii--.  v/a.^  laid  aside. 

'.'r.  V/iliis,  an  eminent  and  learned  lawyer,  was  sent  out 
as  (.'hiet' Justice  of  the  L'pjoer  Province.  On  enterin'.i  on 
the  discharge  of  his  duties,  he  ibund  the  hench  orjustice 
and  tile  hiw  practice  corru])t  to  the  last  deii;ree  :  ami  on  at- 
lemptiuij:  l(^  reform  them,  in  accordance  with  the  constitu- 
tion, he  was,  without  the  sihadow  of  any  crime,  suspended 
koin  oOice,  ruined  in  his  estate,  und  sent  back  in  dis.^i^race, 
aroitly  re^rreted  hy  the  people. 

About  this  litne,  William  iiVon  jMcKenzi(^  eonimenccd 
his  career  as  editor  of  the  Coloni(d  Advocate.  01  all  men. 
he  was  the  most  honest,  industrious,  and  persevering;  jour- 
nalist who  ever  wielded  a  pen  in  the  British  Provinces. 
The  hidden  sinks  of  ofllcial  pollution  and  corruption  v/hich 
ho  ferreted  out  and  exposed  to  public  view,  exceed  any 
tliino-  which  liad  till  then  been  supposed  to  exist.  Pribes 
were  oflered  him  ;  ofllces  were  promised  ;  but  to  no  ])ur- 
pose.  Persecutions  he  despised.  They  only  redoubled 
his  dilio^euce,  and  ij:avc  a  keener  cdoe  point  to  his  pen. 
Like  the  bu'd  of  the  storm,  the  llercei  it  raixed  the  more  tri- 
mnphantiy  lie  struggled.     He  lathed  the  enemies  of  liberty 


i. 


t, 


'   'I 


!«}     II 


••     I 


78 


CONSKHUENCES    OF    THE    WAR. 


I 


•■:[■' 


and  oqiuil  riirhts  witli  a  whip  oI't^corpioiKs.  Ho  rognrdi.ii 
the  Tori(3s  as  the  raukcst  oneinios  o(  ^^ood  <i;ovunuucntiiiiLl 
hbcrnl  institutions,  and  trcatt-U  them  as  such.  They  read 
liis  paper,  but  to  trace  their  withen.'d  characters.  He  was 
tt  deadly  cancer  ni  their  ey<',  Jind  they  felt  it.  They  Ioo'k 
I  he  cowardly  ad  van  la  i;e  ol'  his  absence  ;  entered  his  otlio, 
at  noon-day;  nial  treated  Ills  mother,  n  huly  of  eiuiii; 
years  ;  destroyed  liis  press,  and  threw  the  types  into  liWlv] 
Ont;n-io. 

Not  lono-  aftcrwMrds,  an  Indian  cliier,  a  half-breed,  was 
employed  to  assassinate  him.  Even  the  FiXecnlivc  Oiiii 
oil  were  known  to  have  jormed  [)lans  I'or  his  destruction; 
lint  notwithstiuiding  he  still  lives,  a  tornientinij;  thorn  in 
their  side. 

Another  liberal  editor,  i\Ir.  Francis  Collins,  for  havin;^ 
e.\'posed  the  ^^iiafire  inaliirjicDicij^^  of  Chief  Jnslico  Robin- 
son, and  cliaririiio^  home  the  bribery  ol  the  bench  of  jndg(\^, 
was  fined,  and  imi)risoncd  lor  one  year,  and  died  iminedi 
ntely  after  hi.s  re  lease. 


When  Si 
were  enlerti 
lions,  that  ( 
policy  purs 
more  rcNtri 
haws  were 
ill  liie  fomi 
zcns  beiii',^ 
able,  when 
who  siipj)oi 
zciis,  l:y  bii 
the  siiiiui  a 
ineLlieal  pr( 
ticiui^  in  t 
coui:>o  of  ai 
iii'iioranuis. 

It  w^as  at 
three  niilllo 
jiroiiiises,  b 
services  dii 
aero,  to  a 
industry  ol 
which  iiad 
cue  and  tw 
session  of  tl 
empt  h'om 

The  cle 
when  leasei 
di'd,  andsh 
tioii,  surrei 
tor,  to  be  1 
bv  resident 


m^ 


CHAPTER  Xf. 


Sir  P.  MaitljiiKTs  Adiiiiiii-lnition. 

When  Sir  Poriirriiio  surccc'dud  (jJov.  (jJoto,  (^n'oid  hopes 
were  (MiU'rl;iiii(!d  iVoiiilhc  coiicilidtory  nature  ol'liis  iiislruc- 
tioiis,  tliiit  every  .u;rieviiiice  would  he  iuljusttid  and  a  heUer 
policy  pursued  :  hut  the  issue  of  his  adiuinislration  proved 
more  reslriclivc  and  iutolerahle  thau  any  loriner  one. — 
haws  were  passed  to  prevent  AmerieiUi  l)(»()l:s  l,eini(  used 
in  llio  roninion  schools,  as  well  as  nirainst  American  cili- 
ziiiis  heinsi;  employed  as  leacii(;rs.  4'his  was  very  reniark- 
nblo,  wlu'ii  it  is  considered  that  the  majority  oftlu;  members 
who  supported  these  laws,  were  themselves  American  citi- 
zens, 1  y  hirlh  and  education.  Another  one  was  passed  hy 
the  same  assemhiyj  lo  prcivent  fi^entlenion  of  the  lei(al  and 
medical  })rolessions,  from  Great  iJrilain  ;md  Ireland,  prac- 
.ticiiii(  in  the  Province,  until  they  underwent  a  second 
course  of  an  other  live  years'  study,  under  some  Canadian 
ii^noramus. 

it  was  at  the  commencement  of  this  adniinistration,  that 
three  millions  of  the  public  lands,  which,  hy  ripjlit  of  royal 
promises,  Ijclonged  to  the  militia  of  tlie  Province,  for  their 
services  during  tiio  late  war,  were  sold  at  4.0  cents  per 
acre,  to  a  company  of  London  speculators;  to  wliich  the 
industry  of  the  settled  population  Jiad  given  value,  but 
wliich  had  hecn  constantly  relused  thejn,  as  purcliascrs,  at 
one  and  two  dollars  per  acre.  These  lands,  while  in  pos- 
session of  the  com! 


ipan; 


V 


empt  Irom  taxes,  to  the  great  injury  of  the  Proviiice. 

The  cleriify  reserves  arc  also  exempt  from  taxes;  but 
when  leased  to  a  poor 


pool 
ied,  and  should  the  h 


man 

ssec. 


taxes  are  immediately  demaa- 
dter  two  or  tliree  years  occupa< 


tion,  surrender  it  np  to  its  clerical  owners,  it  ceases,  instaii- 
tor,  to  he  liable  until  re-sold.     While  all  wild  lands,  owned 


i 


V  resident  or  noii -resident  holders,  arc  taxed,  not  cveiiex- 


V  f 


'  * 


•f 


IV 


^•i 


■H 


80 


MAITLAND  S    ADMINISTIIATIOM. 


K^ 


I' ?•' 


\^... 


,    l! 


jih  ,' 


0'-. 


ccptins:  the  U.  M  Loyalists,  who  were  o-raniod  their  lands 
free  of  all  taxes  and  eiicunibraiices,  lor  their  emloaial 
relationship  to  the  Ihitish  cr(Avn,  and  if  not  paid  within  a 
stated  period,  tiie  taxes  ari'  doubled  and  the  land  liable  to 
sale  by  the  sheritl".  In  ic)32  and  1S;)3,  many  thousand 
of  acres  ol'  these)  lands  were  sold  at  nominal  prices,  ih. 
whole  of  \vhi<'h  were  j::]reiiased  by  the  monied  aristocracv, 
to  the  i^real  inj'iry  oi'  the  poor  owners. 

ill  coiis("([Ut'ne!' ol' the  ri^niissiu'ss  of  (he  Am:M'ie;m  su- 
tlers in  takiiiii'  "P  arms  a'^ainst  their  countrymen,  diu'i!!;; 
the  late  war,  and  liinr  unilbrm  adherenee  to  (he  pi'ineipl 
ot  demoi-raey,  ^nd  llieir  unwearied  onp():>iiion  t<)  tli 
pressors  oi  their  adopted  country  — it  was  deenu  <l  exp;!!;- 
ent,  by  l\\c  liai'jMrs  i;i  ollice,  to  iiu'riHinei!  ;l  biii  (o  derhir,' 
them  aliens;  in^'aoab'e  ot  holdini;  or  (-■■  nveyii::i'  J'eal  est:t;i: 
akhoufi'i!  the  hail  Ol'  i'pja'r  (.'anada.  either  hcionired  in  or  !;,>, 
P'.'isscd  thronuh  tiieir  ha.nds.  'Tliis  \\ms  dono,  and  anoliii: 
bill  immediati'lv  mtrodueial  to  cnawlc  iliem.  in  the  eveiitr: 
tlieir  abjuriiw-  tii;  ir  n;iiive  counlr^/  and  Us  democracv  i'^:- 
(iver,  to  h.)ld  lii-sr  ia.rms,  but  n.;)i  to  vut.?  at  ebeetions.- 
These  bilis  pi. sscd  an  asseiubiy  wb.ich  it  wa.s  not  didiair: 
to  bribe  or  intne.idaie,  and  wa.s  sent  lo  i'in.^;and  for  I'r 
royal  assent.     'I'lic  Dcnioerai- too'c  the  alarm.     'i\hi;v  ^t:: 

¥  _  - 

in  this  the  dowiilaii  ol'fiieir  j)arty  anci  paaneij^Ies,  and  wi': 
diem  the  remaiiuii  :  liherticvs  oi'  t'a-,  country.  A  eeiitr; 
committee  was  api^Minted,  ol  which  },]\'.  Ajcivonzio  w- 
conHdeniial  leer.  t.ary.  Mr.  Kandall,  M.  [\  P.  who  'i;'. 
snliercd  nmeh  i'U*  'lis  American  biriii  and  principles,  \v;o 
chosen  to  [)roee<'d  to  'ehiiiiand  wilii  the  documcnls  cntrii- 
ted  to  his  chai-'.n'.  \nr  the  coloniid  ollice,  \\'\\(\  with  tli 
acute  management  of  Mr.  r^Iclven/'/io  and  the  assisianco. 
Mr.  Ihime,  cai'ri;d  ids  p'oint  with  Lord  Goodrich,  and  re- 
ceived a  lull  j.ledoe  that  llic  Americans  who  had  10:1 
subjects  in   (amada,  iVom  (our  to  Ibity  years,  miiiht  so 


mam  witnont  al  ain;;:: 


«^pi 


riie    late   (Jaj»t.    J\lathews 


r  nativi^  couniry  or  p'rmcii 


III' 


on 


iia.l 


r  pay 


ro\a!  arti 


1 1-.  i 


i.tii. 


and  member  of  ihe  .  s^em1)ly.  a  staunch  reformer  and 
lul  servant  of  tiie   |)uhlic,   for  calling-  on    a   conij^a: 
strolling   American   ])layers,   out   of  jest,    to  play  V;ui 
Doodle,  was  called  homo  to  account  ibr  ids  conduct,- 


IV 


prived  of  I 

native  nial: 

Mr.  Rob 

the  opj)icss 
ill  ji  count 
rending  pe 

Tills  cui 
due  their  ( 
to  higher  h 
iiioted  ill  d 

During 
110   b(!tter  ; 
oetrage,  pc 
Forsythe,  1; 
"ral  and  sai 
was  shortly 
This  ilagra 
Ol  iiiijuiry 
lives,  and  I 
Gov.  Ahutl 
evidence  b( 
v.'rilten  do^ 
tiii^:  them 
pel  rated,  b] 
a'.itlioriiy, 
invest! '..uii 
cahuninat 
ialse  cliar 
liiy  tliat 
■  ■nd  \iv\)\i 

1 

Sir  Geo 
for  tiio  C( 

Ukiil  of  ti 

;  itiei  des 
lieges, 
{'ollow  his 
The  p( 
call  this  ]) 
llieir  depl 
exiuencv 


f  V 


MAITLANI)  S    ADMINISTRATION. 


61 


privedofhis  iialfpay,  and  became  another  victim  to- the 
native  malignity  of  tlie  detestable  family  com;Kict. 

Mr.  Robert  Kandall,  for  liis  constitutional  opposition  to 
the  opi)icssors  of  his  adopted  country,  now  lies  entombed 
ill  a  country  in  whose  service  he  suffered  the  most  lieart 
rending  persecution  and  accelerated  death. 

'riiis  cursed  faction,  instead  of  meelitii^  the  punishment 
due  their  crimes,  liavc  been  raised,  at  every  iiniiiolation, 
10  higiier  honors,  and  in  every  cas(3  they  have  been  i)ro- 
iiiotod  m  direct  opposition  to  the  complaints  of  the  people. 

During  this  Robespierre  administration,  for  it  deserves 
110  betti.T  name,  occurred  the  arbitrary  and  scandalous 
outrage,  perpetrated  up(Ui  the  rights  and  projierty  of  Mr. 
Forsytlie,  by  a  military  force,  advis(^d  by  the  Attorney  Gen- 
■ral  and  sanctioned  by  the  Governor.  Tiic  Attorney  Gen. 
was  shortly  afterwards  promoted  to  the  Chief  Justiceship. 
This  ilugrant  and  higii  handed  outrage  became  the  subject 
Oi  impury  before  a  cen^miltee  of  the  House  of  l{ei)rescnta" 
lives,  and  Messrs.  Givens  auvl  Colhn  were  sustained  by 
Gov.  Ahiitland,  in  their  refusal  to  obey  a  summons  to  give 
evidence  before  the  committee; — in  fact,  they  produced  a 
wiiiton  document,  subscribed  by  Gov.  Maitland,  prohibi- 
ting^ tliem  to  attend,  Thus  it  appears  an  outrage  was  per- 
petrated, by  orders  of  Sir  Perigrine  Maillaiid,  and  then  his 
anthoriiy,  mfluence   and  power  were  exerted  to  prevent 


investitNiiion.     Nor  is  this  all;   for 


oil 


l\niL!:rine  wrote  a 


calunniiating  despatch  to  the  Colonial  oilice,  giving  a 
i.ilsc  cliar.'ieter  to  Mr.  Forsytli;^,  and  traducing  the  Assem- 
hly  tliat  ir.ferposed  in  his  belialf,  as  {actions,  disaflected 
■  nd  h"(  !Hd)!ican. 

ISir  George  Murray,  tl;:'n  principal  Secretary  of  State 
for  (Lie  Colonics,  on  receiving  a  corre':;t  and  impartial  state;- 
UK  ill  of  the  affeh,  rebuked  Sir  1'.  Maitland  for  his  long  anri 
;.lii:t  despatch  against  the  Asseml;ly's  parliamentary  priv- 
Heoes.  Yet  ho  was  pern^'tted,  without  further  censure,  to 
follow  his  old  course. 

The  })eople  ])etitioned  his  ^Majesty's  Government,  to  re- 
call this  ])ious  Nero,  and  stronijiy  urired  them  to  consider 
their  deplorable  condition,  and  alTord  that  relief  which  the 
exiiiencv  of  their   sufferings,  and  the   peculiar  situation 


111 


%.|i;!: 


!.| 


• :, 


*< 


82 


MAITLAMJ'S    ADMIMSTRATIOX. 


I  "\ 


W'i 


of  their  atlhirsi  (I'.^nandeil.     Thov  also  represented  tlit*  uissntij. 
laclioM   anil    anxiiity  of  the    |)0()|)le;    the   delermiiiatioii   of  iIk. 
Provincial  Guvenunent  to  defend  and  enloice  arbilrary  piiiici. 
pies,  and  to  oppose  the  aj)[)lication  and   operation   in  the  Prov 
inco,  ofthe  acknowledged  principles  of  the  liritish  Conslilutitjii, 
and  drew  a  comparison    between   their   condition,    on  (lie  oik 
hand,  and  the  |>rosperity  of  all  classes,  and  the  irnj)roveni(;iih 
of  all  kinds,    ip    tiie   neighboring  slates,   on   ihii   other.      Thov 
stated  iheii  country  as  hles^^ed  with  a  fine  and  h.eailhy  climaic, 
a   productive    s^il,    unequalled    natural    facilities    for    inleiiin, 
communications,  and   an   industrious  and   enterprising  popuhi- 
tion;  that  in  consequence  thereiji",  ihey  ought  to  see  the  couunv 
flourish  and  improve,  at  least  as  much,  and  the  people  as  hiiji. 
py  and    prosperous,  as  their  adjoining  iieighl>ors.      liut  iiisltan 
thereof,  the  withering  and  oppressive   system   pursued    by  iho 
Administration,  had  nuidered  unavailing  the  natural  resources 
and  advantages  of  iIk.'  country,  and  jiaralized  all  its  enterprise. 
Mr.   Barnabas   Bidwell,    an  eminent   lawyer   and  a   man  of 
great  natural  and  acquired  abilities,  and  of  exemplary  morais, 
was,  a  little  prior  to  this,  duly  elected  member  of  Parlianicn!, 
In  consec^uence  of  his  uncomj)romising  integrity  in  the   cause 
of  constitutional    reform,   and  his  unwearied  ex>?rtions  agaiiis! 
arbitrary  encroachments — it  was  deemed  advisable,  by  the  lory 
members,   to  prevent,  if  possible,  so  formidable  an  opponeii 
occu|)ying  a  seat  among  them.      It  was  reported  as  a  pretext 
lhj.U  Mr.  Hidwell,   while  Treasurer  of  the  state  of  Massachu- 
setts, had  embezzled  some  of  the  public  monies  of  that  stat 
This  was  enough.      His  seat  was  disputed.     A  committee  was 
appointed  to  proceed    thither  to  inquire  into  the   merits  of  the 
charge.     After  a  strict  inquiry,   the  co    '^littee   retuined--re- 
ported  the  charge  untrue,  and   his  chara,         -hove  suspicion; 
but  he  must   bo  got  rid  of  at  any   sacrifice.      Having   in  vain 
sorght  for  aught  against  his  character,  it  was  at  last  suggested 
that  he  had  not  conformed  with  the  particulars  ofthe  naturali- 
zation laws,  and  consequently  could  not  be  considered  a  sub- 
ject, and  therefore   ineligible  to  a   seat.     The    reader    will  un- 
derstand, that  to  become  naturalized  at  that  lime,  the  following 
particulars  were   required:   1st,  a  residence  of  seven  years  i.i 
the  Province  :— 2d,  to   partake  the   sacrament  on   the"  bend' I 
knees,  at  the  altar  ofthe  established  church,  and  immediately 
afterwards  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  before  a  commissioner 
appointed  for  that  purpose.     Mr.  Bidwelj,  as  well  as  two  tliirJs 


or  more  of  t 
or  conscienti( 
tnblished  chu 
(loom  it  any  \ 
point,  as  the 
cial  one;  con: 
considered  oh 
goat  in  tho  1 
tonth>!  of  tho 
desperately  w 
slate  of  despe 
ment  of  Mess 
sequence  vvoi 
This  mad  . 
compel  Britis 
or  elsewhere 
Province,  anc 
br;  e  a  titled  to 
length  recall 
a;KJ  punished 
have  Decn,  he 


'4 


e 


of  t!i(j 

IH'illCi. 

i'(JV. 

ilutioii, 
liu  OIK: 
veirif:iii> 
Thoy 
L'limaic, 
iiUiriia, 
popul;;- 
couiiiiy 
ns  Ikij). 
i  iiiSleaii 
U   by  tho 

terpriso, 
mail  of 

morals, 

lianicii!, 
;ic   cause 

against 
'  the  tory 
opponent 

pretext, 
assachii- 
lat  stale. 
iltce  was 

ts  of  till' 

10  (J — re- 
jspicion; 
in  vain 
uggesteJ 
nutura'i- 
:d  a  sub- 

will  Lil> 

bl  lowing 
years  u\ 
)  beii(i'''i 
riediatcly 
nissior.or 
A'O  thir^.'s 


MAITLAND  S    ADM  INISTil  ATIOX. 


8:^ 


or  more  of  the  naturalized  subjects,  declined,  from  religious 
or  conscientious  principles,  pa  'taking  the  sacrament  in  the  es- 
tablished ciiurch;  nor  in  fact,  until  then,  did  the  government 
(leGin  it  any  way  necessary  or  essential  to  exact  this  particular 
point,  as  the  act  requiring  it  was  an  Imperial  and  not  a  Provin- 
cial one;  consequently,  from  non-usage  for  forty  years,  it  wrs 
considered  ohsol<3to;  but  Mr.  Bidwell  must  be  dispossessed  of  a 
gcit  in  the  Legislature,  even  at  the  hazird  of  making  nine- 
tonlh>!  of  the  subjects  aliens,  which  was  accordingTy  done  This 
dosperafely  wicked  act  roused  all  classes  in  the  Province,  to  a 
slate  of  desperation,  and  were  it  not  for  t!ie  superior  manage 
menl  of  Messrs.  McKenzie,  Bi(Jwell  and  some  others,  the  con- 
seqiHMice  would  have  been  most  serious. 

'  This  mad  Assembly  went  even  so  far  as  to  propose  a  bill  to 
compel  British  emigrants,  arriving  by  the  way  of  New  York, 
•  or  elsewhere  in  the  LFnited  States,  to  remain  s(,'ven  yoar«  in  the 
Province,  and  take  the  oath  of  allegience,  beiore  they  could, 
hr;  entitled  to  the  rig'nts  of  suhjijcts.  Gov.  Maitland  was  at 
length  recalled;  but  instead  of  being  brouglit  to  an  account, 
a:id  punished  for  his  arbitrary  government,  as  he  ought  to 
dmve  been,  ho  was  promolcJ  to  higher  honors. 


SIl 


UllAPrER  XII. 


Sir  Joiiii  Culbcnic'ci  aJiiuiiir^trulion. 

Sir  Jolm  Colborii'::  snccejocd:  who,  like  all  former  gov- 
in*nors,  on  assuming  the  administration,  promised  aspcedv 
redress  oi'  all  grievances,  juid  encouraged  tlie  pco[)le  wiili 
promises  orii.q'picjr  and  better  times,  but  these,  lik  •  ah  lor 
mer  ones,  were  only  made  to  answer  tln^  purposes  oi'the  day, 
Ahiitland's  administration  was  v^ery  justly  denominated,  the 
Cteign  of  "(.'orru})lion  run  mad."'  'These  were  the  palm v 
days  of  church  nnd  state,  ot'shr,111in<i:  |)rofhgacy  and  rott.n 
i)oroua!i-mom4erina'  Instejid  of  redressing'  grievances,  oh!' 
oi'the  (irst  acts  oi  this  administration  was,  to  multiply  irro 
sponsible  banks  :  to  griUU  large  salaries  (or  small  services 
to  a!i(Miate  thescli<H--I  laiuls  Ic.r  a  i,!!;);  to  })nss  rotten  boro!i;'': 
bills,  w!i(  re)  y  to  drsticy  ;l;(^  bist  vestige  ol  iiidejciifKi:' 
representation;  property  d;c!i;ied  m  value:  thoiis(ui(is ';■: 
the  settlers  left  t!ie  Provinc-.'  ;  lU'sney  dailv  beenriiL^  .'carci ;. 
and  credit  dilileuit  to  '),■  had.  Duriig  tliis  .idministrili-. 
tliC  exertions  oi'the  'rh)u~e  ol'Asseniiily,  in  passino-  good  ain 
Vvdiolesome  laws,  weie  rendered  useless  by  that  curse  of;.: 
K'gMslation,  the  mock  House  of  liords,  called  the  Leu-i:>'- 
tive  Council,  'i'his  branch,  of  tlie  Canadian  lieo'islatuio  i- 
ejioscn  by  the  (^ivernor.  for  life  independeiit  of  the  ]);  o;!. 
and  consequently,  is  at  ihe  nod  ol  the  Executive.  Ain;)i:;: 
the  bills  ))assed  bv  the  AsseD)b!\-.  and  l)lack  I'alled  bv  ti 
<^oiuicd.  are  tbe  I'dlowini;- :  A  fiii  lo  protect  the  agricn't'.: 
ral  interests  o(  the  Province  fi-om  a  reinous  for(3i;.ui  com!;- 
tition  :  to  provide  ior  the  just  ;md  vijiia!  distribution  of  t!i" 
properly  of  persons  dyin^- intestai.  .  !)y  taking  away  tii^ 
riuht  of  primogeniture,  as  tbe  law  now  stands/  Ijills'wci 


also 


lasso 


d,  to 


secure  an  nni^aiU  i!  tr 


from  the  sherills,  w!)o  hold  their  oil 


'V  jurv  :  and  to 


rices  dnrniLT  executive 


pleasure,  the  power  wbicli  they  possess  of  packins:  juries 


vclicve  the  C 
dt'US  and  pi 
and  whicli  i 
to  ill) prove  < 
lor  their  suj 
in  coiiformi 
wishes  ol"  tl 
atiou  on  jus 
of  clergy  rei 
therehom  tc 
mote  the  pe 
in(3mbcrs  of 
ballot.  All 
jt'Cted  by  tli 
lost.  It  is  ri; 
uiateiials  w 
.sistcd  of  S( 
Uucbec  ;  o' 
Iciiislatived 
tiix  were  of 
under  theg 
d-.iios  lor  of 
:id;i. 

luiional  re 
and  as  ofte 
The  ele( 
and  Sir  Jo 
ous  liberty 
Hig  to  the 
the  ijreat  S( 
ekirgy  rcs( 
have  been 
future,  by 
30tli  clau.^ 
all  rights  i 
ly  and  an 
terms  ari( 
and  the 
•jctorv  in 


cr  g-ov- 

fill  lor. 
tlio  (Jnv, 
ited,  ihe 
3  pill  illy 

CC8;     Oh' 

[>!>'  irn- 

er  vices' 

-)i)rO!!:.f': 
Ndllds  0: 

sd'Mti-. . 
ood  ahi 
sc  of:,:; 

riOn;is;,:. 

aturo  r 

!  p-OJii.-. 

Aiiio!!:: 


SIR  J.  colboune's  administration. 


85 


relieve  the  C-liiakers,  an  excellent  class  of  subjects  from  bur- 
dens and  penalties  whicli  are  imposed  by  the  militia  laws, 
and  wlncli  are,  in  time  of  peace,  altogether  unnecessary; 
to  iujprove  common  scliools,  {ind  increase  tiie  public  funds 
ior  then'  support ;  'J'o  amend  the  charter  of  King's  College, 
in  coidbrniity  with  Ijis  majesty's  recommendation,  and  the 
wishes  of  the  people,  so  as  to  put  the  Institution  info  oper- 
ation on  just  and  liberal  principles  ;  To  provide  for  the  sale 
of  clergy  reserves,  and  the  application  of  the  monies  arising 
therefrom  to  objects  ofconmion  benefit  and  utility  ;  To  pro- 
mote the  peace,  freedom,  and  independence  of  electors  of 
members  of  Parliament,  by  adopting  tlie  mode  of  voting  by 
ballot.  x\ll  these  measures,  and  many  others,  were  re- 
jected by  the  legislative  council,  and  the  labors  of  the  House 
lost.  It  is  right,  that  the  reader  should  fully  understand  the 
materials  wliich  compOvsed  the  Legislative  Council.  It  con- 
sisted of  seventeen  meuihers,  exclusive  of  the  Bishop  of 
Uucbec  ;  of  these  not  more  than  fifteen  ever  attend  to  their 
legislative  duties,  and  out  of  the  members  g(Mierally  present, 
t;ix  were  of  the  governor's  council,  and  eight  office  liolders 
under  the  government ;  jmd  the  remainder  generally  candi- 
d'.iics  for  odiee.     This  was  the  L/Cgislalive  t'onncil  of  Can- 


la. 


M''.  Mclvcnzie,  a  bold  and  nersm^^rin:.';  assertor  of  consti- 
luiional  reform,  was  six  ti. ncs  ousted  from  the  Assembly, 
and  as  often  returned  by  the  people. 

The  elective  b'anchise  became  reduced  to  a  mere  cypher; 
and  Sir  John  Colborno  iiave  the  finishing  stroke  to  religi- 
ous  lib(Mly,  l)y  cr^^ating  57  rectories  or  parsonages,  aceord- 
1112:  to  the  establishment  of  the  church  of  England,  under 
the  great  seal  of  the  Province,  and  endowed  them  out  of  the 
cleriry  reserves.  To  these  rectors,  or  parsonages,  ministers 
have  been,  or  are  to  be  preseiUed,  as  are  t.ieir  successors  in 
inlnre,  by  the  u;overmnent,  and  they  are,  according  to  the 
39th  clnnse  of  the  act  -To  hold  and  enjoy  the  same,  and 
all  rights  and  profits  thereimto,  belonudng  or  crranted,  as  ful- 
ly and  amply,  and  in  the  ^ame  maimer,  and  on  the  same 
terms  aiid  conditions,  and  liable  to  the  same  performance 
and  the  san\e  duties  as  the  mcumbent  of  a  parsonage  or 
'■^ctory  in  Entdand,"  and  the  next  clause  ot  the  act  provides 
8 


-'  J , 


..-IMU 


T 

^    ■ 


.  1 


./H- 


8G 


SIR    J.    COIJ:t)ilMs'^!  AIJMlNIb'TiiATlON. 


for  the  exercise  of -'spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction 
and  authority,"  accordiiii,^  to  the  laws  and  caijous  of  the 
church  of  hiUirlaiid.  Under  \vlii;:h  clause,  of  course,  eccle- 
siastical courts  will  be  establis!ied,  as  no  other  church  ur 
court  can  fully  <-'x<-i'*'i-''^  such  spiritual  and  ticclesiasticiilju. 
risdiction.  According- to  the  act,  the  government  ni;iy  en. 
dow  the  parsonaires,  from  tune  to  time,  and  erect  and  con- 
stitute as  many  more,  as  tlie  irovernor  may  deem  needful; 
so  that  these  parsonages  may  be  multiplied  beyond  all  cal 
culation.  The  dilferent  clergy  of  the  church  of  England, 
liave  received  from  the  govcnnrient  in  exchaiige  lor  llicir 
own  private  j)roperty,  lar^e  quantities  ot  the  cleru:y  roservii: 
for  instance,  the  Kev.  James  Coo  Ian,  surrcinders  36  acri^ 
of  land  in  the  townhsip  of  Hope,  lor  1()2U  acres  in  dilfLTont 
townships:  the  llev.  Benjamin  Croynon  surrenders  4  ncro^ 
of  land,  and  receives  in  exc^hange  lS;):<i  acres  !  !  The  Kev, 
Francis  Evans  surrenders  5  acres  in  Woodhouse,  and  re- 
ceives 800  acres  in  VValpole!!  Rear  Admiral  Vansittain 
has  been  permitted  to  share  in  these  good  things,  for  tho 
benefit  of  the  cliurcii.  and  h;is  received  in  exchange  jor  a 
Iiouse  and  (wo  acres  in  B!andf<)rd,  3t)00  acres  of  valuab!.! 
land  !  ! 

The  land  tiius  convey^'d  to  t}ie;n   in  exchange,  becoii.ns 
tlieir  property,  and  of  their  asssigns  forever, --not  their  j>iic 
cessors  i[i  the  sarcedotal  ollice.     All  connnent   upon  siic'i 
transactions  is  unnecessary. 

These  endowments,  and  all  these  irrants  in  exchange  for 
messussfcs,  and  lots  ot  land,  are  in  addition  to  the  large  rea- 
idar  allowance  that  is  aimually  paid  to  them  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, out  of  the  oublic  monies  of  the  Province,  witiioiit 
the  knowledge  or  consent  of  the  people. 

Thus,  in  one  year,  in  contempt    ot  all  their  humble  re 
monstrances,  and  earnest  protestations  against  cljurch  es- 
tablishments and  government  patronage  of  a  single  sect,y//- 
ty-sevrn  gooernment  ])arsons  have  been  established  in  the 
Province,  under  its  Great  Seal,  to  make  it  irrevocable. 

In  this  way,  the  govermiient  opened  a  new  source  ol 
political  influence,  and  not  only  established  a  State  church 
among  them,  with  spiritual  and  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction, 
but  a  state  church,  of  which,  government  is  the  sole  patron 


by  Iiavnig 
iiicnt.     Tl 
clinrnation 
tioiis   to   t 
and    tlieir 
nerve, to  p 
to  some  US' 
lially  and  c 
have    tlie\ 
Iho  eslabli 
from     one 
and  agnin 
iiionts  on  t 
ironi  t!ie  pt 
ics.     The 
jccl  of  the 
address  to 
produced  ji 
cau^^ed  mu 
The  obscr 
applying  ]| 
and  of  til  u 
onislied   li 
delegated 
holders,  e: 
and  all  d( 
and  have 
that  is  sui 
Equall; 
the  Assenj 
cdly  addrl 
ercised  th| 
to  repeal 
the  clergj 
ardently 
rejected  i| 
have  bee  I 
mciit,  thfl 
on  this 
minister. 


'"■'"lijtp??^ 


I^ciictioii 

IS  of  the 

K^  cccic- 

urclioi 

ticiiljii. 

limy  ('11- 

uid  coil- 

ic'edliii; 

all  c;il. 

England, 
or  lljcir 

iroservi'^:; 

ou  acrch 

diii'LTLMii 

s  4  ncrcN 

,  and  rc- 
aiisiuaui 
,  Ibr  tho 
ige  jbr  a 
valuabh) 

becoii.ies 
heir  i>iic 
)oti  sucli 

lange  Cor 

nr^je  rea'- 

lie  Gov- 

without 

mbic  re 
urcii  ee- 
st^cijif- 
?d  in  tf)(3 
le. 

onrcc  o{ 
!  church 
;diction, 
e  patron 


SIR  J.  COLnOKNl,  S   ADMINISTRATION. 


87 


by  havin:;  the  cxchisiv^e  right  of  presofitation,  or  appoint- 
iijout.  Tiio  people  expressed  tho  strongest  teeliiigvS  of  iii- 
ditriiatioii   and  astonishmcritj   at  this  proceeding,   by  peti- 


ir,   til 


ev 


tioiis  to  the  home  government.  Year  after  yt 
and  their  representatives  have  been  straining  every 
iiorve,  to  |)rocnre  the  appropriation  of  the  clergy  reserves 
to  some  nseliil  public  purposes,  in  wb.ich  all  might,  impar- 
linlly  and  equally,  participate.  For  upwards  of  thirty  years 
liav(3  they  solemnly  and  indignantly  protested  against 
Iho  establishment  of  any  state  church.  The  people, 
jroin  one  end  of  the  Province  to  the  other,  again, 
and  agiiin.  petitioned  the  provincial  and  imperial  parlia- 


ibiect.     Til 


;in 


leded, 


\\ 


!aents  on  the  si  _, 
iiouithe  people,  indiscriminately,  biU  also  from  public  bod- 
ies. The  explicit  and  distinct  representation  on  this  sub- 
ject of  the  iAlethodist  L^piscopal  (Conference  in  1831,  in  their 
address  to  Iris  majesty,  cannot  be  forgotten;  inasmuch  as  it 
produced  a  mostoilensivo  reply  from  Jolm  Col  borne,  wiiich 
rau^i'd  nuich  excitemGUt  and  dissatislaction  at  the  the  time. 
'j'iie  observations  contained  in  the  address  on  the  subject  of 
ajiplying  ])ublic  funds  to  the  support  of  religious  bodies, 
and  of  til  us  oppropriating  the  clergy  rsservos,  were  distin- 
onished  for  wisdom  and  truth.  In  1S32,  McKcnzie  was 
delegated  to  England,  with  jietitions  signed  by  21,000  free 
holders,  exjiressing similar  sentiments,  hi  fact,  all  parties 
and  all  denominations  on  this  matti^r,  have  been  asfreed, 
and  have  so  remained,  with  a  unanimity  and  perseverance 
that  is  surprising. 

E(|ually  decided  and  uniform  liave  been  the  exertions  of 
tlie  Assembly,  to  effect  tlie  same  object.  They  had  repeat- 
edly addressed  his  majesty;  they  had  also  as  frecpiejitly  ex- 
ercised the  powers  jri vcn  to  them  by  the  constitutional  act. 
tore]")eal  those  parts  it.  which  riilafti  to  the  appropriatiou  of 
the  clergy  reserves  ;  althoui,di  these  bills  like  many  others 
ardently  desired  by  the  country,  have  been  contemptuously 
rejected  in  the  legislative  council.  So  numerous  and  urgent 
have  been  those  representations  to  his  majesty's  govern- 
ment, that  the  ap[)earance,  at  least,  of  a  favorable  disposition 
on  this  subject,  was  at  length  obtained  from  the  cabinet 
Vfiinister. 


'>if 


■{ii 


^ft    I 


it;j- 


r: 

I. 


^ 


88 


SIR   J.    COLBORNK^S     ADMINISTRATION 


111  1S32.  tlig  Ifoiiso  of  Assembly  wure  infornicd  by  Sir 
John  Culbome,  in  a  message,  dated  25(h  of  January,  1832, 
that  lie  had  liis  majesty's  commands  to  make  to  them  tlio 
followiiio:  comimmication. 

'•The  representations  which  have  at  dillerent  times  boei; 
made  to  his  majesty,  and  royal  predecessors,  of  the  prejudice 
sustained  by  his  laitiiCul  subjects  in  this  Province,  Irointlic 
appropriation  of  the  clergy  reserves,  have  engaged  his  in;i 
jesty's  most  attentive  consideration.     He  lias  with  no  less 
anxiety  considered  how  far  such  an  appropriation  of  terri- 
tory is  conducive  either  to  the  temporal  welfare  of  the  min- 
isters of  reliixion  m  this  Province,  or  to  their  si)iritual  iiiflu- 
once.      Bound  no  less  by  his  personal  feelings,  than  l)y  tlu' 
sacred  obligations  of  that  station  to  which  providence  has 
called  him  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  all  the  protestaiit 
churches  within    his  dominions  ;  his  mnjcsty  could  never 
conr>entto  abandon  those  interests,  with  a  view  to  any  oh- 
jects  of  temporary  and  apparent  expediency.     It  has,  tlierc 
fore,  been  with  ])eculiar  satisfaction,  that  in  the  result  of  his 
inquiries    into  tliis  subject,  his  mnjesty  has  found,  that  the 
changes  sought  for,  by  so  largo  a  proportion  of  the  mhnbil- 
ants  of  the  Province,  may  be  carried  into  effect  without  sa- 
crificing the  just  claims  of  the  established  churches  of  Eiig 
land  and  Scotland.     The  waste  lands  which  have  been  set 
apart  as  provisions  for  the  clergy  of  those  venerable  jjod- 
ies,  have  hitherto,  yielded  no  disposable  revenue.     The  pc 
riod  at  whicli  they  might  be  reasonably  expected  to  become 
mr-'  j-r  ■•'Ir.ctive,  is  still  renwto.    His  majesty  has  solid  rea 
son  for  entertaining  the  hope,  that  before  the  arrival  of  tlin: 
period,  it  may  be  found  practicable,  to  afford  these  churches 
such  a  reasonable  and  moderate  provision,  as  may   be  ne- 
cessary, for  enabling  them  properly  to  dischartre  their  sacred 
functions.     His  majesty,  therefore,  invites  the  House  of  As- 
sembly of  Upper  Canada,  to  consider  how  the  powers  giv- 
en to  the  Provincial  Legislature  by  the  constitutional   act. 
to  vary  or  repeal  this  part  of  its  provisions,  can  be  called  in- 
to exercise  most  advantas^eously  for  the  spiritual  and  tenv 
poral  interests  of  his  majesty's  subjects  in  the  Trovince." 

This  was  a  pledgeof  no  ordiinary  solemnity,  on  the  part 
of  his  majesty's  government,  not  to  proceed  in  opposition 


lorci)rcsent; 
his  ni:ijesty, 
lish  and  f'li 
iiioiist  ranee: 
aiid  <r<JO(l  f 
dg's  i!istru( 
that  th(^  dis 
^U'C  to  be  lei 
rlrciunstatK 
;neiit,  in  th 
and  tii'.i  e>:c 
reconciled, 
lothe  ill  to  re 
i)(WA\  declni 

Tlie  relli 
ful  and  UK) 

iMousuro; 
i;2i>l)lc,  tliei 
wil'-ioiU  the 
and  oilon  d 
isoeinetl  no' 

Lord  Gil 
<*()lborne, 
euisivcly  ii 
a  tegishiti 
tioital^  aiK 
jtcrial  log  is 
would    be 
colonial  gc 
•mens,  exc< 
3ity." 

These 
bill  what 

.Shortly 
perial  Par 
without  tl 
lepresentn 
ders^Tj  res 
Imperial  I 
of  these  A 


»^  f  R  .1 .  CO  L  r^o  1 1 N  j<;  s   a  d  .m  i  n  i  s  v  n  a  t  to n, 


89 


;) 


loroprnseiit.'itioiis  which  h;id.at  difliTi^iit  tiin(.vs,h('oii  inndo  to 
!iis  iii:«j'-.'stv,  hy  so  lai'sj^o   a  |)()rtii>:i   ol'thn  ix'ople, 


o  cs 


lal). 


lisli  and  <'iidi)U'  {Iwsv.  rcciorics.  in  o)>p(\sitinii  to  llu'so  re- 
tnoiistraiico  ;,  was  ;is  1)u'j.rant  a  viDlatioii  (trro\';il  |)r(>inis<is 
and  <i:ood  I'aitli,  as  can,  well  he  iniai^intul.  In  Lord  Gioii- 
dg's  mstrnctioiis  i  .  t'lo  !;rovornor,  it  is  distinctly  intimated, 
I'aat  tlie  dispo-ial  and  ai){}ro|)iiatinn  of  tlic  ch^rii-y  reserves, 
,u-G  to  be  lell  lo  th(^  ii  uis'.ature  ot  ihe  Province,  linder  these 
clrcunistJinces,  \\o\v  could  the;  proccedinus  of  tlie  lioveni- 
aieiit,  in  the  Ibriiiation  and  (Midtnvnient  of  those  rectories, 
r,nd  the  exchange  ot'  hinds,  evidently  a  sysleni  of  jobs,  he 
roconciled,  u  ilh  a  decent  re<rard  to  q-ood  laith  andjrstice. 
to  the  interests  ol"the  Province,  or  to  the  well  iciiown.  ;uid 
ol'lcn  declared  wishes  of  the  people  ? 

Tlie  rellecdons  which  such  a  question  su:r:r^'sis.  are  pain- 
I'ul  and  niortiiyin^". 

Measures,  most  alFectuiii:  the  peace  and  happiness  oi  the 
j!2op!o,  their  opinions,  and  teelinu's,  were  adop!  m1,  not  only 
without  their  consent,  l)iit  in  opposition  to  ihi^ir  unanimous 
and  ohen  dechu'ed  wishes.  To  contiiuie  their  complaints 
ooomed  novv^  useless. 

liOrd  Glcuelii:  declared,  in  his  uistructions  to  Sir  John 
''eiborne,  th.at  -Imperisl  legislation  on  any  subject  of  ex- 
(uusively  internal  concern,  in  any  Britisii  colony,  ])or-sessini,^ 
a  legislative  assembly,  is,  as  a  oencral  rule,  luicoiLs-fUv- 
(ional^  and  tliat  to  withdraw  from  the  Canadian  to  the  Im- 
jterial  loo-islaturc.tlio  question  rcspectiu'jf  the  clero^y  reserves 
w'ould  be  an  infrino-ement  on  that  cardinal  principle  of 
colonial  oovenunent  which  forbids  parliamentary  interfere- 
iiicos,  except  in  an  evident  and  well  established  neces- 
sity." 

These  are  the  professions  of  the  Imperial  Government; 
but  what  has  been  its  conduct. 

Shortly  aftei  this  admisson,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Im- 
perial Parliament,  without  even  a  pretence  of  necessity,  and 
without  the  consent  or  knowledo^e  of  the  people,  or  their 
representatives,  aui/iorising'  the  sale  of  one-fourth  of  the 
dcr^rjj  reserve.'',  and  withdrawing  from  the  Canadian  to  the 
Imperial  leo-islature,  the  question  respecting  tlie  application 
of  these /unds,  to  other  purposes,  than  their  oriijinai  object, 

8* 


1' 


ii.  § 


'■■ 


)     m 


pi 
t. 


% 


a 


^'4. 


-M 


1 


(» 


4.    , 


00 


Hill    J.   COLBOHiNES    ADMINISTRATION. 


such  MS  tli(!  support  of  (!dncMtioii,  6ic.  lliider  this  act,  rrioi 
ihfiM  two  hmuhi'd  and  lifly  four  thousand  do! I.irs  have  lieti; 
raised  l)y  lh(!  sah's  ol"  these;  lands,  i\\\i\  instead  of  hcin^j^  n) 
phed  lo  jM'ovnicial  ))ur[)oses,  such  as  tlio  niakinij:  and  re[)air 
wx^y  ol"  roiids  and  hrid^^tvs,  it  v.'as  paid  over  into  the  niilitnr' 
(•h(.'sl,an(l  siiipped  to  (Jld  Jlni^'hinfl. 

I  he  lion,  lidward  KIMce,  in  Ins  exaiuination  hefore  in^ 
llon.scol'(  oinnions,  on  th(!  allairs  of  (/aiiada,  idter  descn 
hiiin-  \\\o.  i;-ener;d  and  deep  liiehn'i'  which  existed  in  llie  pin. 
vince,  ahont  the  aj);  ropriation  o[  these  rcjserves,  said,  '■miic 
ly,  llio  iVainers  of  ihiitacl,  mnst  hav<j  overlooked  the  addi 
tional  oI)j«'etionor(irawin^-  Iroin  the  small  ca[)ilid  oithe  coiin- 
try  aiiv  pait  ol  il,  lor  this  invidious  })urpose."  Nolwilli- 
slaiidiii'.;- this  eaulion,  and,  although  the  law  was  a  plain 
inh"in'4<un  Mit  ol'ihe  j)rineiples  ol'tlu;  (>;nia(han  (Jonsiiinhon. 
riN^.(yvnisi^d    and   :idinilted  t)y    thein,  tlie  ininistrv  carried  i: 


oiii,  i)()i  oniy  n  sehnjii'  the  reserves,  ami  thainini;'  the  coim 
try  ol' i(s  capital,  l)Ut  also  in  inak-inir  tliose  iiMW^u"raiital)lr 
and  proilio-;iio  eKchtuiii^cs.  What  a  i~)ractica'  connn(;nt  i 
this,  on  ilridsli  Colo/iinl  (iovcrnmciit.  liOrd  (Tleiiel::, 
must  h.ave  supposed,  when  writiiiir  (ho  ahove  instructioll'^. 
that  the  ])(M)pIe  of  Upper  Canada  were  destiluio  oi"comin(i; 
souse  and  discernment. 

'V\\v.  wiiole  of  the  transaction  to  which  wo  have  advert 
ed  iV(Uu  the  l)ei;-inniui>-,  j)rove  the  necessitv,  Juid  illustra! 
the  importance  of  the  i>*re.-it  oliject  lor  which  the  people  liai 
heen  tor  a  loui^- tiuKi  contendtnir,  vJz:  an  '•uulcpcudcni  yi. 
sj)o]isih!c  iiU)vcninicnl'' 


111  the  pi' re 


,  nioi 

^t!  I)ec'l; 
liilitdi-" 


CllAPriiRXIIf. 


TO  111, 
IliC   ))rn. 

I,  '-xiro 

ol  U'it.'i- 
a  J)li(iii 
tiitioii. 

ITilJti  1: 
J  COllll 

U!t;i!)ii 

liclll  i 
iK'lK'lii', 

ictioiis 
omnio; 

advert 
ustrai 

lent  yi. 


SirJolin  CollturiK.*.-  Atliiiiiii.->tratioii — rIofHat  oI(H'ti(»n.s. 
Sii'J')!iii  (.'olhnrtic-'s  ndmiiiislrnlioii  was  also  ro!ii;irk;i!)l( 


:or  tii(Mi;'>jH'rat'j  icifl  hioo.ly  ()iilr.!;.f.'s  at  tlio  oloctioiis,  sat).-?- 
tioiied  or  coiiniv'  d  a(^  as  ilu'y  wvvc  l)y  tlio  antlinritics.  'Vlw 
oruiiuiMii.'ii  A.  tni  i('s  \vi,'i'i;  cncoiira^'i'd  audcvi^n  iirL|<'d  \yy  ma- 
iristralfs  and  shcriiis,  to  assault  wKli  missiles,  and  oI'cmi  with 
(ii'iuliy  \vo;ij):nis,  every  person  who  iiiiid't  vole  Tor  a  Iii!)eral 
■,!''iii!u>r.  At  r'arni(M'svi!!e,  in  the  conntvot'  iie(>ds,  thov 
;iitoni])ttd  liie  nmrder  ol  a  Mr.  I'hilhps,  lor  votinir  a- 
;;-aiiist  til'  '.i;i)verniut'iit  candidate ;  hut  Ibrtiuialelv  lor  i»iui, 
III  the  plM'enz\'   ol' tli(Mr  rn-uhiess,   thev  K'ille-d  a  hrother  or- 


nniroiiiin  i;i  mistake.  And  to  escape  the  p'.'uahy  of  the 
hiw,  they  apiiearcd  hofore  a  Ciraiid  Jury,  and  swore  the  niur- 
(I'lr  a'j:ain^^(  Alr.PhilfSps,  a  hill  ofindictnicut  was  iound,aiid 
'.'iiilhps  \v;is  tried  for  his  hie.  by  a  tory  judireaiid  Juryuietj, 
!iU  wa'-!  honoral)Iy  acquittt,"!!  ot  any  participation  in  the 
i.ioody  ad'air,  except  what  was  necessary  in  his  own  (.lelencc, 
lo  save  his  h(''\  In  the  examination  ol"  the  wilnesses  ho- 
lore  the  ''onrt,  the  murder  was  pointedly  l)ror!Li-ht  home  to 
lac  parties  who  swore  out  the  indictment  froui  the  Grand 
Jiu'v;  I)nt  tliev  W(M'(;  oraiiu'emen,  ;md  ot"  the  li'ovcrument 
Party,  and  there  t!io  matter  resteth 

Pliilhjs  h('inii:a  true  and  staunch  reformer,  and  a  o-entlo- 
vnan  of  riiue  property;  his  destruction,  at  all  hazards, 
was  deteruuned  hv  tliese  hell  liounds.  They  destroyed  his 
property  and  he  wiis  afterwards  obliu'od  to  escape  in  the 
niLiht,  and  seek  refu':re  in  the  state  ot' New  A^ork.  In  1S38 
at  the  VViudtiHll,  h(;low  Prescott,  this  md'ortumUe,  hut  hrave 
•ind  ixenerous  patriot  was  killed  on  tfie  last  day  of  the  battle. 
Mr.  Armstrong-,  a  »Scottis!i  o-entlemau  of  projjerty  and  infln- 
once,  was  embowelied  in  the  streets  of 'Toronto,  the  seat  of 
government,  by  a  gano*  of  ruthless,  drunken  orangcmen. 


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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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92 


SIR  J.  colboukk's    administration. 


for  his  mcinly  eirorls  in  behalf  of  liberal  iiistituiioiis.  An 
inquest  of  oraiioeoien  was  held  over  the  body,  who  biu: 
in  a  verdict  of  accidental  deatli.  I5y  all  accounts,  they  linvi; 
been  tlie  bane  of  Ireland,  but  most  certainly,  a,  bii^hliiif 
curse  in  Canada.  Until  their  settlement  in  the  i'ruvince, 
there  never  were  l)otter.  more  friendly  or  obliiiin;^'  neii;nboii, 
than  the  Irivsh  (Jaiholics.  But  the  ijistant  llie  oraiiirerneii 
i^ettled  among  them,  di.scord,  bloodshed,  and  murder  were 
the  result. 

The  first  murder  perpetrated  in  U.  C  was  by  one  llicio 
desperadoes, of  the  nameof  lM"S\vceny.  By  the  contriv;uice 
of  the  governmeiU  aulliorties,  they  so  far  ii:ot  the  ascinuleu' 
cy  in  the  Johnstown  District  by  virtue  oi"  tiie  cudac^l  iuia 
bludgeon  as  to  carry  the  elections  for  the  governnjent.wlioii- 
ever  thev  jjlcased.  To  hrin?r  them  to  justice  was  impo 
1) 
tl 


iss; 


icm. 


The  writer  of  this  work',  and  the  Kev. 


of  the  \h\ 


irclin 


(rt; 


Their   leader,  iiare.  a   notorious  villian    seized 


n 

the  carriao:e  with  one  hand,  while  lie  atlempted,  with  the 
other,  to  dray- the  writer  down.  A  sudden  blow  of  the  biilt 
end  of  a  lar<4-e  horse  whip,  laid  tiic  intended  assassin 
sprawling  on  tlie  ground.  Before  his  gang  came  up, 
with  tlie  aid  of  a  good  horse  and  a  free  use  of  the 
whip,  they  were  soon  distanced.  The  poor  timid  priest 
WPS  so  frightened,  as  to  loose  all  power  ol  action,  durimif  t!ie 
scuffle  ;  but  alter  recovering,  and  seeing  himself  out  of  dan- 
ger, he  was  the  most  vc\lliant  man  the  writer  ever  saw;  he 
foamed  at  the  uiouth,  kicked  with  his  feet,  shook  his  (ists 
over  the  hinder  part  oi  the  carriage,  inviting  tije  Isinnael- 
itcs  to  come,  if  they  dared.  The  fact  is,  the  suddeness  of 
the  surprise,  had  so  friLduened  him,  that  when  fairly  recov- 
ered, it  had  the  effect  of  throwing  him  into  a  kind  of  hyslc- 


whicli  llio 
caucus  C 
ihoir  Uiir, 
it  not  for 
thev  would 
iliP  wounds 
This  Ihi 
uv;nt'!i'i  ci 
1,(;  was  a|)| 

Thus  tlitl 
;i  Yuiike( 
fo  vine  lU. 
(if  charactf 
II  re  form  c 
died  of  th( 


le,  the  authorities  were  on  liicir  .side,  ju.stice  cou'id  not  reach  I   „  hoi-ncj  m 


tist  denomination,  on  reiurning  home,  in  a  one  liorse  car- 
riage, from  tlie  election  held  at  xvlerrickvilie  in  183(3,  were  |  ] 
suddenly  surprised  in  the  woods  l>y   a  band  of  these  sava: 


Ijuok.s  frorr 

Mr.  San  111 

lioine,  was 

is  horso  a 

i^ailed  to  or 

in  finding 

Governor's 

means  to  t 

testimonies 

Ilorna  E 

To  \\ 

1^-quirc,  C 

U(Airt  of  ¥ 

in  of  Yo 


sli 


posuth  ci 
Monday,  1 
iiig  up  the 
inoiit  llou 
six  or  seVi 

his  gate 


ncnt  distil 
rical  frenzy.  For,  naturally,  he  was  of  a  very  quiet,  meek  I  tor  he  tur 
and  pacific  disposition.  Sometime  previous  to  this  aflair,  ■  li'U'c  been 
one  of  these  incarnate  demons,  a  Mr.  ilenry  Hamilton,  and  ■  ^^^t'dio  hii 
two  others,  lay  concealed  at  the  edge  of  a  swamp  through 


RIOTS   AT  The  eleetioxs. 


93 


whinli  liiG  writrr  had  to  pass  on  his  w.'iy  liomo  from  n  political 
cniicus  On  ontering  tlio  swamp,  lhe!s(«  rurtiians  sprang  from 
llu.ir  lair,  dismounted  Iiim  in  rather  a  rough  manner,  and  were 
it  not  for  the  timely  appearance  of  three  strange  gentlemen, 
they  would  iwive  accomplished  their  designs.  The  auliior,  from 
ilip  vvDunds  received,  was  confined  lo  his  bed  fur  three  months. 
This  Hamilton  shortly  aft(M'wards  killed  Mr.  Tarbox,  an  A- 
incriean  citizen,  with  a  saddler's  knife,  in  Prescolt,  for  which 
l,(i  was  appreherded,  tried,  and  condemned,  but   not  exeeuted, 

•'J5K(  ALSi:    HK    ONLY    KILLKD  A    DAlMNED    YANKKE." 

Thus  they  go  it  in  Canada.  Killing  a  Canadian  reformer  or 
a  Yaidiee  is  tlie  same  thing,  and  the  sure  way  to  altain  pre- 
Hiniont.  At  the  same  election  David  Ballintvnc,  a  crenlleman 
(if  cliaracter,  influence  and  prof)crty,  after  giving  his  vote  for 
11  reform  candidate,  was  immediately  attacked  by  about  a  hun- 
dred of  these  ruflains,  who  beat,  cut  and  mangled  his  body  in 
r^  horrid  manner;  broke  down  the  hustings,  snatched  the  poll 
hooks  from  the  returning  officer,  and  tore  them  to  pieces. — 
Mr.  tSuniuel  Bass,  a  peacesble  farmer,  on  returning  quietly 
liomc,  was  overtaken  by  a  ^^\'\^^  of  these  furies,  dragged  t'rom 
lii*^  horso  and  left  for  dead  on  the  Queens  highway.  Maving 
failed  to  entangle  Mr.  McKenzic  in  the  meshes  of  the  law,  or 
in  finding  aught  against  his  public  or  private  character,  the 
Governor's  privy  council  met,  on  a  particular  day,  to  devise 
means  to  take  his  life,  as  will  now  be  proved  by  the  following 
testimonies:  — 

[lorncj  District,    1 
To  \s\\\  ^    Came  before   mo,   James   ITervy   Price, 

Inquire,  Commissioner  for  taking  affidavit-^,  in  [Icr  Majesty's 
Court  of  King's  Bench,  this  day,  William  ITowe,  of  the  Town- 
sliij)  of  York,  coach  maker,  who  being  duly  sworn,  voluntarily 
(loposeth  and  saith,  that  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
.^lotiday,  13th  of  November,  in:-t.  as  this  deponent  was  walk- 
ing up  the  street,  leading  from  the  public  offices  to  the  Govern - 
inoiit  House,  in  company  with  Mr.  John  Mantach,  of  this  city, 
^.'x  or  seven  persons  came  out  of  the  Governor's  door  and  out 
•^r  his  gate;  they  were  talking  about  McKenzie,  and  this  depo- 
nent distinctly  heard  the  Hon.  John  Elmsly  say  to  Mr.  Allan, 
ior  he  turned  to  him  whilst  he  spoke, — *'lMcKenzie  ought  to 
li'U'c  been  shot  ai  that  time,  and  the  only  thing  to  be  done  is 
^iHnke  him  out  and  shoot  him."     Signed, 

W.  HOWE. 


i.V' 


1  ■^ 


!.-.-. 


El- 


I' 


;* 


.i;> 


i^l- 


'I":. 


94 


sill    J.    COLnORXK*S    ADMINISTRATION. 


*•.,:,;■ 


It : ' 


j; 
■  1. 


il''i.  i 


fvjv 


Home  District,    ? 

To  Wit:  )    Came  before   me,   James  [lervey  Price. 

]''isquire,  a  Commissioner  for  taking  aflulavita,  in  the  Cuiiii,!i' 
King's  Bench,  John  Mantnch,  ol"  the  City  of  Toronto,  bovM- 
binder,  who  being  duly  sworn,  freely  and  voluntarily  deposeth 
and  saitli,  tliat  about  t!ie  hour  of  lour  in  the  afternofin  ot  Mon- 
day, tlie  13lh  of  Nov.  inst.  as  this  deponent  w.is  walking  near 
His  TTxcellency's  gate,  in  company  of  Mr.  William  Howe,  the 
Hons.  William  Allan,  Robert  JJ.  S  illivan  and  Jolin  FJmslcy. 
members  of  the  Executive  Council  of  Upper  Cmada,  with  sev- 
eral other  g;  iillemen,  came  out  of  llie  r-^aid  gate  of  the  Govern- 
ment House, —  BImsley  said  to  Allan,  "McKenzie  should  (dr 
ought  to)  have  been  shot  at  that  time,  and  the  only  thing  to  U 
done,  is  to  take  him  out  and  shoot  him  now." 

Sworn  beibre  me,  at  Toronto,  tifis  14lh    Nov.  1837. 

J.  H.  Price,  a  Commissioner  for  taking  aflidavit-;  &c. 

Signed,  JOHN   MANTACH 

When  the  fountain  of  a  governmerit  is  so  foul  and  despe- 
rately wicked  as  this,  what  purity  can  be  expected  from  the 
streams  which  How  from  it? 

While  Mr.  McKenzie  was  in  England,  advocating  the  cane 
of  the  people,  and  demanding  a  constitutional  redress  of  lluir 
grievances,  the  harpies  of  misrule  were  secretly  employod  in 
circulating  counter  petitions  througli  the  Province  and  calling  on 
the  teachers  of  common  schools,  to  sign  them  and  mako  all 
their  pupils  who  could  write  do  tlie  same.  The  teachers  dur?t 
not  refuse  for  fear  of  losing  the  government  appropriation  fir 
schools,  and  the  pupils  signed  them  for  fear  of  punishmeni 
from  their  teacher.  In  this  manner,  they  obtained  fifty-onfi 
thousand  signatures  to  their  petitions  for  church  and  state  gov- 
ernment; which  they  forwarded  to  the  Colonial  ofllce.  The 
odds  was  greatly  against  Mr.  McKenzie;  yet,  notwithstandini,' 
this  vast  difference,  on  refeting  to  the  petitions,  he  had  little 
or  no  difficulty  in  convincing  Lord  Goodrich  of  their  despe- 
rately wicked  tendency,  by  imposing  on  His  Majesty's  govern- 
ment, such  a  mass  of  puerile  signatures. 

Lord  Goderich  was  convinced,  and  drew  up  instructions  for 
Sir    John'   Colborne,    with    directions   to   take   the    necessary 
"n'lhwith,  to  redress  the  evils  and   abuses  comnlainedol 


sps, 


ipl; 


in  the  People's  Petition.  Sir  John  lost  no  time  in  refering 
these  instructions  to  the  Assen)bly  at  their  first  sitting.  But 
the  loaders  of  the  tory  faction,  Mr.  Atty.  Gen.  Boulton  ai;'i 
Solicitor  Gen.   Hagerman,   instead  of  acting  upon  them  wiih 


thnt  courtesy 
with  the  mo.s 
chnracter  an 
which  would 
They  rep  re: 
"nobody  car 
cile  may  ne.\ 
the  institutioi 
The  fools  an 
J;.ird  Goodri 
01  the  Canad 
knaves,  who 
listening    to 
ng^ai'ist   the 
iho  administi 
readied  the 
were  remove 
liiMMLi;  shortly 
CuiDiiial  o(Hc 
k^y,   who   pr 
Cliief  Justice 
to  hi.s  lonner 
for  the  good 
w.is  tlie   uii 
coinj)l;un!;d 
ftmrdii)rated. 
Laws  were 
and  irrespon 
H'.'W  means 
thorizing  dir 
vate  rights; 
Mors.     The 
enacted  in  tl 
ually  changf 
although  the 
fected  by  thi 
Their  tra< 
tage  of  capi 
exclusive  ni( 
Canadicins  r 
m  the  Engli 
Itothe  same 


e 


RIOTS    AT    THE    fJLECTIONS. 


95 


•V  Price. 


Cull  I 


01 


to 


(ioposetli 

J  ot    Moil. 

t)g  near 
iowt',  the 
Filinsl(;v. 
with  scv- 
Govern- 
)oiil(|  ((,: 
ng  to  be 

7. 

avit>;  &c, 

tach 

11(1  despo. 
from  l!ie 

tlie  cau-6 
s  of  ihoii' 
ployed  ill 
calling  on 

make  nli 
hers  dum 
'iation  lor 
iiiishmen; 

fifty -one 
state  gov- 
ice.  The 
hstaiKiiii!;' 

had  little 
eir  dcspc- 
s  govern- 

ctions  lor 
necessary 
^hiined  of 
re  fe  ring 
ng.  But 
niton  aii'i 
liem  wiili 


ih'it  courtesy    which  was    due  them,   treated    the   instructions 
with  the  most  sovereign  contempt,  and  abused  Lord  Gode rich's 
ciinracter  and  benign  intentions,  with  a  violence  and  brutality, 
which  would  disgrace  the  least  civilized  government  in  Europe. 
They   represented     him   us   a    political    mountebank,    adding, 
'Miobody  can    lell    what     political    caper  this    political   imbe- 
cile miy  next  order.     This  foolish  minister  is  trying  to  reduce 
the  ifistitutions  of  the  country  to  rank    Yankee   democracy. — 
The  fools  and  knaves  of  the  Yankee  Republican  faction,  whom 
Jjdfd  Goodrich  delightelh  to  honor — and  the  fools  and   knaves 
of  the  Canadian  Republican  press, — and  they  are  all  fools  and 
knaves,  who  do  not  disapprove;  of  Lord  Goderich's  conduct,  in 
listening    (o    the   silly    comj)laints    of   the    swinish   multitude, 
nejainst   the   honorable  and    learned  gentlemen  connected  with 
Iho  administration  of  the  government."      This  language  having 
readied  the  King's  ear,  tiirough  hlr.  McKcMizie,  thcfse  worthies 
v^ore  removed  from  office    in    disgrace.      But   Lord  Goodrich, 
licirii.^  shortly  afterwards  ci-eated    l^arl  Ripon,    retired  from  the 
Colonial  office,  and  was   immediately  succeeded    by  tory  Stan- 
l.'V,   who   promoted    the    disgraced    Attorney    General    to  the 
Cliief  Justiceshii)  of  Newfo:mdlaad,   and     restorcid    [lagerman 
to  his  lormer  office; — so  that  what  one  Colonial  Minister   does 
for  the  g  )od   of  the   Province,    the  ne.xt  is  sure  to  undo;    such 
WIS  the   uncertainty  of  the   Colonial    office.      The   grievances 
coinj)lained   of   by   the   people,   instead    of  being   redn^ssed  or 
nmdiorated,  were  left  to  accumulate,  like  a  rolling  snow-bail. 
Laws  were  enacted  during  this   administration,  creating  new 
and  irresponsible   legal  tribunals;  clothing  existing  courts  with 
ii'-'W  means  of  oppression,  and  increasing  their  expenses;  au- 
thorizing direct  taxes  on  the  people,  and   interfering  with   pri- 
vate rights;  taking  away  the   rights  and  privileges  of  the  elec- 
tors.    The   laws  regulating  their   trade  and   commerce,  were 
enacted  in  the  Parliament  of  the  United  Kingdom,  and  conti  n 
ually  changed  and  varied  without  the  Province  being  consulted, 
nlthoiigh  the  value  of  their   labor  and   property  are  deeply  af- 
fected by  this  ever  varying  system  of  legislation. 

Their  ti'ade  by  sea  is  carried  on  exclusively  for  the  advan- 
tage of  capitalists,  residing  in  England.  England  claims  an 
exclusive  monopoly  of  the  Canadian  markets,  but  allows  the 
Canadians  none  in  hers.  Their  beef  and  pork  are  prohibited 
Jn  the  Finglish  markets,  and  their  pot  and  pearl  ashes  subject 
to  the  same  rates  of  duty,  at  London  or  Liverpool,  as  the  pot 


I'  1' 


•t-.i ' 


'r^ 


:JI 


I'l;  ii 


H. 


M 


i'  i 


n 


'  -ri'i'' 


I  I 

I!     » 


"\i 


!l '/  ■ 


ii.,!. 


S  ' 


!      - 


06 


SIR  J.  COLEOUNK*S  ADiMlMSTHATlON. 


and  pearl  ashes  of  the  United  States.     By  an  act  of  t!ie  Imp,;. 
rinl  Pailiainent,  it  is  enacted  thai  United  States'  wheal,  wlieai 
Hour,  beef  and  poik,  nuiy  be  imported  into  the  Canadas,  eitlitr 
by  sea  or  inland  navigation,  free  of  duty,  and  may  be  shippcj 
at  Quebec,  to  any  part  of  the  British  West  Indies,  on  the  same 
terms  as  the  like   produce  of  Up[)er  Canada.     By  an  act  ot 
Congress,  passed  in   July,  1832,  wheat,  wheat  flour,   beef  iinij 
pork,  nsJK'S   and  ail   other  articles,  the  staple   produce  of  tiio 
Canadas,  are   subject  to  a  lax  of  fifteen  jjor  cent,  if  importci 
into  any  part  of  the  United  States;  so  you  s(!e  the  monopoly  is 
nil  in   favour  of  England*  and  the  United  States.     This  is  a 
s[)ecirnen  of  ihe  mnnner   in  which  ihey  manage  Catiadiun  ;ii- 
fairs,  in  the  English  Parliam'-.'nt.     The  Canadians  are  contiiici 
to  the  markets  of  the  home   country,  entirely.      Were   they  tj 
attempt  to  extend  their  trade  with  other  countries,   the  protec- 
ting duties  iin[)osed  by  England,  in  favor  of  her  own  merchiui- 
di.se,    would    prevent   the    importati(jn  of  foreign   goc^ds    in  ex- 
change.    SL'Kisiiness  alone,  is  ti»e  principle   which  has  guided 
En;:liiul  in  her  intercourse  with  Canada,  and  that  .se-lfish  policy 
will,  uiidDubtcdly,  hasten  the  independence  of  the  Colony;  dr 
with  all  her  encouragement  of  emigration,  v/ith  all   her  expen- 
ses of  armies,  (I'.iefs,    governors  and   viceroys,  she  is  but  lias:- 
ening  t!io    fni;.l   consummation.     One    afttjr   another,    as  tiny 
ga'n  power,    her  Cdorsios   will    grasp    by  force,    the    politico 
jiglits  denied  to  poaeeable  petitions;  until,  in  tinn^  she  hecoiu  s 
the  "girdled  tit'c?"   spf)kpn  of   in    t'le    days  of  the    prophet  Sii 
Fiancis  B.  Head.      Oi"  ali  the  measures  that  ever  came  bofuK' 
tne  Assembly,  the  bill  providing  for  a  court  of  Chancery,  win 
the   most  wicked   and  dangerous.      It   passed;  and    the  people 
found  that,    instead  of  a  court  of  equity,    it  proved   a  court  oi 
spoliation  and   confiscation.      Its  supporters   [)resented  it  as;i 
golden  pi|dn,  but  upon  trial  it  turned  out  a  bitter  crab.      "Goi' 
my  boys."  said    a   respectable    Englishman.    "1    recovered  m 
Chanc(;ry,  an  estate  of  two  thousand  four  hundred   dollars  a 
year,  and  the  whole  esf^te,  ave,  and  four  thousand  dollars  iiiw 
the  bargain,  were  swallowed  by  the  costs  of  court."     In  nine- 
teen cas(;s  out  of  twenty,  the  suitors  are  stripj)ed  and  beggiuxd 
Sir  John  Colborne,   determining  to   give  the   Canadians,  be 


fore  his  r;.'ca!l,    a  surf-it  of  torv  gover 


nment,  commissionc 


J:i 


large  bUc!)  of  magistrates,  consisting  of  Irish  Orar;gemen  an 
Yankee    rem^gadti   lories.     Not  n  solitary    Scotch,  English,  of| 
Canadian  reformer  was   appointed,  because  at   tho  previous c- 
lections  they  voted  contrary  to  his  wishes. 


RIOTS    AT    TIIR    ELECTIONS. 


o: 


GUI  Countrymen  uv\y  (WiVcr  ns  to  forms  of  government;  but 
I  Voiikec  tory  is  a  Gib(}onito.  {Strango  as  pomo  may  think  it, 
;lio  bitterest  enemies  of  the  reformers,  exceeding  (^viMi  the  Or- 
nnoonien  in  virulence  and  deadiv  emrdtv,  were  these  Yankee 
;iiri(,'H.  Not  cordially  liked,  even  by  tlie  Ornngemen  tbcm- 
sl1v(;s,  they  were  hated  with  a  perfect  hatred  by  tlie  reformers. 
They  were  the  rrproach  of  their  O'tuntry;  the  (lisp^r;ice  of  tl)e 
Ainciican  continent,  and  one  of  the  curses  of  Canada.  The 
world  did  not,  and  nevcM'  will,  .md  never  can  exhibit  so  grovcl- 
iii2  a  class  of  freemen  as  the  lories  of  Canada. 

It  might  almost  be  said,  from  the  course  pnrsned  by  Sir  John 
Colborne,  thnt  the  flomc  Government  !!j)])oinled  him  to  the  ad- 
miiiistration  for  no  otlier  purpose  tbnn  to  oppre?-^,  the  people: 
squander  their  resources,  and  •■ntail  on  tiieir  posterity  the  of)- 
prcssions  of  a  church  establishi^d  !>y  l;iw;  w  bich  eliurcb,  Cob- 
h.-tt,  in  bis  History  of  tluj  Rcformali(.in,  puge  fourth,  says, 
"Was  engendered  in  beastly  lust;  brought  forth  in  liyp(jcrisy 
;'.iid  [jcrfidy,  and  cherished  and  fed  on  plunder,  devastation  and 
livnrs  of  ]M}gIish  and  Irish  blood,*'  On  pnge  8lh,  be  adds,  that 
it  was  established  in  England  "by  the  gibbets,  the  racks,  and 
i'le  ripping  krdves.*'  This  church,  contrary  to  the  repeatedly 
cxjjressed  declar;(tions  of  nine-tenths  of  the  population,  is  nov/ 
'iio  law  established  church  of  Canada,  with  an  endowment  of 
(:!)(j-soventh  of  the  Province,  or  15,000,000  of  acres,  which  the 
;  i\-imMte>  of    Enizltu 


nas 


iOCOSOO 


f  c 


V 


V 


anterburv, 


Mad    the  Canadians   no  other  grievan- 


ce:; to  complain  of  tbnn  merely  thia,  it  was  of  itself  sufficient  to 
warrant  an  a])peal  to  arms. 


H 


iM 


y  1 
I  il 


m 


e!:i  h 


\  \i 


imM-^ 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Corruption  money — High  prices. 


In  1835,  Sir  Jolm  Colborne  ordored  $'19G,G07  to  bo  paid  !j 
pcnsioiiors  and  sinocu lists  out  of  tlu;  people's  money,  iisii.'iHv 
called  tlic  casual  and  territorial  revenue,  without  ihcir,  or  [hi''; 
representatives  consent — one  item  of  which  runs  tiius:  '•  \\\'\<\ 
A.  15.  llawlii'ns,  a  yankee  tory,  and  P.  Robinson,  a  son  ofoii'; 
of  the  Wyoming  murderers  in  the  Am.  revolution,  -^^14^500  I'l;! 
e.\p>UKse  of  starvinc:  noor  settlors  and  en)i|^rant  pensioner?.— 
Tho  17th  item  reads  thus:  *4^aid  Joseph  Spraggs  $l,viO()  f:,r 
keeping  a  small  lory  school  in  Toronto,  item  lijth:  l';i',i 
^3,r)00  to  hireling  priests  of  the  PresbyUMian  ordor.  Iilmh 
3Gth:  Paid  ?§12.87o'to  binding  priests  of  tho  ICstablislK;;! 
Church.  Item  1st:  P;iid  lloman  Catholic  f>i.Siiop  M'Douiii 
•S3, 000  f)cnsion.  Item  2(1:  Pai.l  Romm  Catholic  priests',  Sj- 
000;  and  l'o  on  to  the  (Mid  of  th*.^  c!iaj)tor.  The  Methodis! 
'$1,900.  Tiio  Baptist  (Jliurc'i  wa;^  the  o:dy  one  which  rfi'i!:- 
cd  the  wages  of  iniquity. 

Ve  free  born  sons  of  America!  wliit  would  you  think  of  i 
President  who  should,  without  your  consent,  undertake  P 
squander  your  resources  in  like  manner? 

We  will  hero  give  a  list  of  the  Executive  and  Judiciary  oin- 
cers,  of  Canada,  wiih  their  salaries.  It  will  alFord  an  op[)or;u- 
nity  of  comparing  a  domestic  wiiii  a  foreign  govornmtMit ;  a 
government  by  farmers,  with  a  government  by  strangers  from 
bt?yond  tlie  ocean. 


Canada.  Salary. 

Gov.  of  U.Canada,  f5;24,000 

Sec.  of  State,  4.000 

Auditor,  1.400 

Chief  Justice,  7,000 

Attorney  General,  4,S00 

Associate  Judge,  4,441 


MicniGAN. 
Gov.  of  Michigan, 
Sec.  of  State, 
Auditor, 
Chief  Justice, 
Attorn  'V  General, 
Associate  Judge, 


Salary,] 


Canadian  gov.   {§4."), 704  y\mcrican  gov.  $iB.55'.l 

Michigan  Judges  gft  no  retiring  pensions;  Canadian  Jiilgf^ 

geleach  -^3000  per  annum  from  the  pockets  of  the  people, witlioiH 


liic  decenc 
It  may  I 
salaries  of 
arcpltiin: 
IS  governci 
Province  i 
six  confcdt 
lure;  alter 
{rood  govei 
jiiilges  of  I 
ro^julalion 
when  disci 
liiroiigh  \b. 
I)V   the  ba> 
ciioice  of 
neither  alt( 
ill  the  regu 
of  war  or  | 
militia  olFic 
reaues,  no 
roads,  rottf. 
p.rul  despfjt, 
The  Rri 
rogues  and 
it  uf  its  m( 
— for  whei 
family  cor 
their  tribe 
count rv; 
only  rule, 
all  contro 
bounds;  a 
Govern  me 
with  scor 
to  them  fr 
Mr.  Ro 
and  a  gen 
tho  Englis 
of  this  pe 
sider  the 
neer.     T 
the  re  pub 
accustooK 


lor.     Iii.'ifi 

iSt;ih!i.sll(;:i 
iM'Doili'i; 

icsts,  So- 
Mc-lhudis! 
licli  roi'ih- 

lliiak  ol"  :i 
dcrlakc  ! 

iciarv  o^S\- 
n  opporiii- 

igers  [f'}''.'- 


V.  $J(K550 
.!e,w[tlioiil 


HIGH    SALAKfKS,    &C. 


99 


bo  paid  to 

;y,  usiinllv 

r,  or  thcif 

is:   "  Pai^l 

?on  of  on.' 

l-ijm  !'.;! 

siuiior.?.— 

»^l,20()f;:r 

nth:  l>ii;,i 

tlic  decency  of  asking  thriir  h.-Jive.   'I'hus  they  go  it  in  Canada. 

It  niav  ho  asked,  \\  hut  is  ihci  cause,'  of  IJjis  (iiir<T(;nc(!  in  the 
salaries  of  llio  flllcers  of  theiio  govern  men  Is'?  TIjo  reasons 
aieplain:  'i'he  people  ol' Miehigan  govern  thenisidves;  Canada 
is  tMverned  by  ini|)orled  strangers,  whoto  only  interest  in  the 
Province  is  that  of  fleecing  the  peo[de.  Each  ol'  liie  twenty- 
six  conrederalc  stales  chooses  its  own  Governor  and  Legisla- 
luro;  alters  and  amends  its  own  Constitution;  frames  laws  for 
rood  government;  creates  and  maintains  a  militia;  appoints  tho 
jiulgiis  of  the  land,  magistrates,  and  sheriiis;  has  a  voice  in  the 
regulation  of  trade,  the  currency,  and  in  questions  of  war, 
when  discussed  in  the  great  Parliament  of  the  confederation, 
liu'oiigh  its  senators  and  representatives.  Canada  is  governed 
l)V  the  bayonets  of  foreign  mercenaries;  lias  no  voice  in  tho 
choice  of  her  Governors  and  Legislative  Council.  She  dare 
neither  alter  or  amend  her  political  Constitution;  has  no  voice 
ill  the  regulation  of  her  trade  or  currency,  nor  in  the  question 
of  war  or  peace;  she  appoints  neither  magistrates  nor  shcrilTs, 
militia  olFicers  nor  coroners;  nor  lias  the  control  of  her  own  re- 
rciiuos,  nor  tho  disposal  of  her  public  lands — hence  her  bad 
roads,  rotten  britlges,  and  little  ii.i'i[)rovem(3nts,  largo  salaries 
I'iid  dcspcjtic  govcrnmen^ 

The  liritish  Parliament  robbed  Canada  of  its  lands;  and 
rogues  and  sharpers,  tho  howling  herd  of  corrupt  officials,  rob 
it  uf  its  money,  and  its  miserable  inhabitants  dare  not  complain 
— for  when  they  ask  for  reform,  tho}^  receive  coorsion.  The 
family  compact  surround  the  Governor,  so  that  no  one  not  of 
tlieir  tribe  or  party  can  reach  him.  They  actually  govern  the 
country;  dispose  of  its  places  of  profit  and  distinction,  and  not 
only  rule,  but  insult  the  people.  Being  really  independent  of 
all  control,  their  insolence,  rapacity  and  corruption  know  no 
bounds;  and  if,  at  any  time,  tiie  Governor,  or  even  the  Home 
Government,  ofiend  their  high  mightinesses,  they  treat  them 
with  scorn  and  contumely,  and  scofF  at  the  commands  sent 
to  them  from  England. 

Mr.  Roebuck,  a  member  of  the  P>ritish  Ilonse  of  Commons, 
and  agent  for  the  people  in  the  Lower  Province,  remarked,  in 
tho  English  Parliament:   ''While  such  is  the  nature  and  conduct 

hv.  I  beseech  the  House  to  con- 


petty 


igj 


'gf 


sider  the  peculiar  position  of  the  people  over  whom  they  domi- 
neer. Tin's  people  are  in  daily,  nay,  hourly  intercourse,  with 
the  republicans  of  the  United  Stales  of  America.  They  are 
accustomed  to  behold,  across  the  frontier,   a  great  people,  no*. 


'^- 


^■i- 


■I 


•li 


,  "f, 


;l 


fflll 


■I 


{  --^ 

i 

'  tl 

!'■.. 

;  V 

■  Vv  r 

« 

' 

*•  -.'.'J    " 

>.'.' 

■.  i- 

;  1^  Jill 


(\ 


M*, 


100 


COHHll'TION    MONEY 


more  instructed,  nor  more  dosorving  of  good  government  iii;;i 
flicnisclvcs,  s(!ir-g(iV(;rn(Ml — gdvcrncd  Ijv  tlioruuglily  (ienioci;i 
tic  institutions;  i\m\  wlial  is  tin;  result?  A  staio  of  uncxarnplei! 
prop;j)(?rify — equal,  r.'ip.d,  and  unt.'casing  improvement;  liiw^ 
and  institutions  that  continue  in  their  acuon  as  regular  as  fi 
piece  of  [ihysieal  tnncliincry.  'I'iiey  see  the  cheap  govornii);; 
body,  having  interests  idruitit'al  with  the  people,  and  po.ssesst'ii 
of  their  ever  advancing  spirit  ol'  improvement,  niriing  all  eiilcr- 
prise — in  fact,  performing  tlu'  tiu(;  I'unctiorjs  of  a,  g(jvernniuiil; 
nol  contenli;d  with  protecling  to  the  utmost,  the  properly,  1)L'i'- 
3on,  and  reputation  of  all  the  citizens,  but  aysi-sting  .n  all  tlios.: 


groat,  underlikings  which  are    best    pron)olcd   by  iho  conibiiuu 
ellbria  of   a  whole  people.      With  such  a  sight    before  thorn,]' 
is  not   wondirful  that  the  Canadian   people    have    imbibed   tli' 
free  sjiirit  of  America,  and   that  they  bear  with  impatience  the 
insol(>nce,  the  ignorance,  the  incapacity,  and  tho  vice  of  a  nc-; 
ofodlcial  cormorants,    who,  under  the   loitering  domination  c 
England,    liavc;  constituted  th.emsolvt)9  an  aristocrisy,    with  al 
the  vices  of  such  a  body,  without  one   of  the  redeeming  ((Uali- 
ities  which  arc  supposed  to  lessen   the  miscliiefi  which  are  the 
natural  attendants  of  all  aristocracies.      It  is  of  a   people  Ihii- 
high-spirited,  pestered    and  stung  to    rviadnes3  by  tliis  pcstilcn: 
brood,  tl.'at  I    demand  your  attention, '^  >Scc.      *'\t'  you    do   no; 
redress  their  grievances,  and  permit  them  the  free  and  full  ex- 
orcise of  the  rights  and  privileges  granted  them  by  tiie  Consii- 
luiion,  ihey    will  take  for   their    example  the  conduct  of   the!.' 
neighbors  in  the  year    177G,    and  throw  you  olfvvilh  the  sanio 
bitter  animosity,  and  gov(jrn  themselves.'^ 

Immediately  after  tliis,  Sir   .John  Colbnrne  was  promoted  fc 
•  tlje  Cuelphic  order  of  Hanoverian    Knighthood,  by  letters  p;f 


IlmU  from  the  Crown,  as  a  rew-ard  for  his  exert 


ions  m  keepin 


down  tho  Yankee  faction,  and  preventing  reform,   and  for  up- 
hoding  a  church    and  state  government    for  so  many  years 


111 


Upper  Canada,  contrary  to  the  declared  intentions  of  the  peo- 
ple. But  Sir  John  was  determined  not  to  rest  short  of  the 
peerage.  In  order  tostiengthon  his  church  and  state  tory  go- 
vernment, and  to  render  his  measures  popular,  by  giving  them 
the  appearance  of  impartiality,  by  the  advice  of  his  secret 
councillors,  it  was  determined  to  attach  the  dissentient  preach- 
ers, in  consequence  of  their  great  influence,  to  the  car  of  the 
a4ministration.  lie,  therefore,  condescendingly  meted  out  ol 
the  people's  money,  without  their  consent,  a  certain  sum  an- 
nuully,  to  tlie  Methodists,  Presbyterians,  Catholics,  and  Bap- 
tidta.     The  bait  was  ofTered,  and  readily  gulped  by  nil  but  the 


iliiptist.s,  wl 

Ijoivtl,  lli:«l 
ll,,.s(;  sects 
t'ona;  and 
;i  cliuich  es 
the  lib(M'ty 
1')  spiritual 
pi'ivih'ges  (1 
t;iat  re  Ik- Hi 

(iod.    r>u: 

(■,[  iKdaam, 
It  w.iri  now 
i!0  power  b 
(iod,"'  <Slc. 
try,  for  a  si 
iioss;  and  I 
Il!spoli'-i« 
niiy  coil  Ml  r; 
ay.     Liber 
i.acii'  iiistru 
ever.     Can 
nroiichiiig  t 


II  Kill    S  A  I,  A  [I  IKS,    d.C. 


lol 


||(i[itist.s,  who  wonhl  not  t'»iu;h  the;  micIiMu  fhin^';.  Ho  it  ronioin- 
boivd,  llvM  |)ri!vi)iis  t  )  tliis  i^i'-c  ;  '»f  bribury,  tiio  ruiiiisturs  of 
tliosu  sects  wcii!  1)m|(|  himI  Midriit  julvocalcs  in  iIk3  cmiso  of  rc- 
t'onn;  anil  l'rc(iH''iitIy  itiiijilit  \\u:  |)<.'()|)Ii!  i'luw)  tho  jinlpit,  *Hliat 
a  cliuici)  csti\i)iisi)tr\('nt  wusan  iihominiilion;  lliat  it  rotrictod 
tin;  liberty  ofconscienfU!,  and  novc.-r  I'liii^d  to  rc(b.K;<;  tho  puoplo 
t')  spiritual  bonda;^(';  that  lln!  niainti'iianco  of  their  spiiitnal 
|)rivili'^(\s  dopf'nilod  on  theii   inainlaining  tboir   [.oliflcal  rigiits 


[iiat  rcbt'llion  to  tyrants  anil  iingodly  rulers  was  obcchcnco  to 
(loii.  ihit  mark  vo:  Ihfv  liul  no  s(io!i!:r  acconted  flio  wages 
oi'llahiani,  than  hUo  Habiani's  ass,  ihoy  fonnd  a  n<'w  tongue. 
h  u:is  now:  *vllti  ye  snbjt^ct  to  thi.i  higher  poW(jrs;  for  there  is 
10  ()i)\ver  but  of  (lod;  and  tin.'  powers  tliat  bo  are  ordained  of 
hns  thi^v  sold  their  consciences,  and  tii'dr  couii- 


(toU 


iki 


'V 


n 


try,  for  a  small  annual  pittance;  of  th*)  nianimon  of  unrighteous' 
iioss;  and  turned  tiie  grace  of  God  into  iasciviojsness. 

ll'Spoli'^rn  has  rartdy  rivt-r  bcf^n  tho!'oii;:^hly  establislicd  i 
niiy  conntiy  without  the  connivance  and  assistance  of  ll>o  cler- 
ay,  Liberty,  tlironghout  the  worI(J,  has  suilercd  more  through 
liicir  iustruin^'utality,  linn  from  any  otiu;r  class  of  people  what- 
ever. Camilla  is  a  living  exemplification  of  this  truth.  Their 
crouching  to  Sir  jnim  Colborne,  for  I-.jss  than  a  mesa  of  pot- 
i;\go,  destroyed  the  hope  of  frec(ion)  in  that  unhap[)y  country, 
id  full  c\- B  Tor  some  time  at  lefist.      Had  tho   oth(!r   sects,     like  the  honest 

0  ConstI- ■  l''i|'ti>"ts,  s:tood  true  and  firm  to  their  former  integrity,  Canada 
uoidd  now  have  been  free.  From  this  time  forward,  thcsf,' 
priests  foutiil  no  more  fault  with  the  administration,  nor  could 
tliey  see  any  abomination  in  a  church  united  with  the  slate,  un- 

moled  io  I  ^''  rt-'tiontly,  wheri  the  Methodist  preachers  discovered  it  a  sec- 
otters  pa- 

1  keeping 
id  for  up- 

voars  in 


ouie 


011(1  time,    after  the  llcgis  donurii  was   withdrawn.      Then  like 
r  penitent  sinners  they  exclaimed    rEccAvi.     But  the  iron 
sway  of  the  church,  incorporated  with  the  stale,  was  now  con- 

lii'iiicd. 


It  was  left  for  Sir  F.  D  Head  to  drive  home  the  key  stone 
in  the  despotic  arch,  which  his  pred(*cessors  had  so  nearly  fin- 
ished. In  the  commencement  of  the  year  1836,  Sir  Francis 
assuuied  the  reins  of  government,  with  ample  instructions  frona 
the  Home  Government,  as  usual,  to  settle  all  the  diffi- 
u:i.Tir:s. 

He  found,  on  his  arrival,  a  reform  House  of  Assembly,  the 
choice  of  the  people.  The  Colonial  Secretary  handed  him  Mr. 
M'Konzie's  book  of  grievances,  as  his  guide;  and,  on  address- 
g  the  members  of  the  Assembly,  the  first  time,  said:  "You 


in 


9^ 


^■■*  ^ 


I 


in 

S!    > 


Iff! 


I.'   ■■...I'll 


:^ 


'H 


I  i| 


'^"iill 


w 


I 


'i>   I 


i    I 


■r  i: 


1 '( 


'^'i'\  )' 


■'i 


KVi 


CORRUPTION    MONKY, 


hnvo  great  niul  oppressive  grievances,  that  require  iinporlnnt 
remedial  measures,  without  delay.  Impartial  juslieo  must  bo 
Mdmit^i^lered;  the  pcuiple  have  asked  for  it;  their  sovercM^n  has 
ordained  it;  and  I  am  here  to  execuite  his  gracious  coumi'uids, 
D{duy  will  only  increase  impatience."  Ilo  stated  rurlliic; 
"that  ho  was  sent  out  to  a(Jmini*fer  the  atlairs  of  the  I'rovince 
ill  such  ;i  way  that  tin;  p«M)plo  should  have  occasion  to  bo  at- 
ta(rhed  to  the  parent  state;,  iVom  sentiments  o!  nfUMUion  ami 
;',ratifu<1e,  as  we-il  as  from  prineip!(;s  of  duty."  He  portr.iyoii 
the  I'rovinco  as  ^standing  lil<(;  a  hcallity  youiif!:  tree;,  tliiil  hail 
\>L'cn  girdled;  its  drooping  hraiiehns  mournfully  bet rfiyitjcr  that 
i's  natural  nourishnienl  had  hccn  dclihoratcly  cut  (dl." 

'I'iie  country  hailed  his  arrival  us  the  dawn  of  happier  days. 
jjoyal  addresses  were  poured  in  to  him  daily,  from  all  parts  of 
ihi.'   c(juntry       lv\pectation  was    now   on  tiptoe.     Oommercia! 


and  ag 


ricultual    dej)Utations    proc(?('( 


led  r 


'om  every  quaitcMlo 


the  governirient  Ikhjsc,  to  welcome  and  pay  their  loyal  re.spcci.-,  ■  I 
I  )  the  ORFAT  RKFoHMKR,  Sir  F.  V>.  Head.  Mut  as  he  was  a 
«trang(;r  to  the  Province;  and  its  aifairs,  and  knew  but  liillcol 
the  wants,  sentimenis,  and  habits  of  its  iidmbitants;  and  as  the 
measures  complained  of  under  Sir  .lohn  Colborne's  admiiiistn- 
lion  had  been  attributed,  in  a  great  degree,  if  not  altog*'lliPr, 
f.)  evil  advisers,  much  anxiety  was  felt  that  the  new  Li(;ut, 
(fovernor  should  cail  to  his  Council  persons  in  whose  soumi 
constitutional  principles  the  co»intry  could  put  confidence.  Ills 
PiXcellency  ap|)eared  to  have  anticipate  d  their  wishes,  by  call- 
ing to  iiis  Council  M(;ssrs.  Dunn,  IJaldwin,  and  John  liolpii, 
;;entiemen  of  liberal  principles,  and  well  qualified  for  the  oflico 
iVom  tlieir  extensive  knowledge  ol'  tho  aflairs  of  the  Piovince.  ■  nl 
These  appointments  aflbrded  general  satisfaction,  not  unmixiiJ 
however  with  apprehensions  tiiat  the  influence  and  preseii  c'ot' 
the  old  Councillors,  who  were  suppos(;d  to  have  advised  Sir 
John  Colborne,  would  embarrass  his   Excellency  and  the  new 


cillors.  wh 
the  pi'ople 
(Wprcsst'd 
ill  tilt!  nifur 
tlio  countr; 
iiad  Ix'en  r 
or  liimsedf, 
and  rcconi 
advisers;  i 
the  new  CV 
Sir  Franci 
the  p'ople 
where  non 

Messrs. 
('ounnillor 
which  wer 
(iricv  : 

Is'f.  Thn 
lh(j  (»ov(!ri 
ihut  they  s 
vincial  go^ 
iheir  ad  vie 
of  his  adc 
counsel,  \ 
lire,  and 
with  view 

On  these 


t 


rust  in  jj;  to 


i)f  Fed) 
counsel  o 
direct  opp 
uid  made 
He  als( 


II 


( !ouncilIors,  in  the  pursuit  of  a  more  impartial  mode  of  gov-  B  the  Legis 
(■rnment.  The  Heju^se  of  Assembly  and  the  Council  were  not 
then  aware  that  the  Executive  Council  had  hitherto  l)een  used 
^•5  a  screen  for  the  acts  of  the  Lieut.  Governor;  for  it  was  gen- 
erally understood  that  they  had  been  consulted  on  all  tho 
alV'urs  of  the  Province.  That  the  principles  of  the  Pirilisli 
Constitution  were  not  put  in  practice  as  it  regarded  this  Coun- 
cil, in  one  respect,  was  well  known,  for  it  had  been  the  subjecf 
of  earnest  complaint  for  many  years  by  the  Mouse  of  Com- 
mons; that  persons  had  been  appointed  or  continued  as  Coun- 


,   werd 

Province. 
It  was 
ficting  un 
llndt;r  the 
'he  nature 
act,  and  li 
sonally, 
tiaanimoL 


mm}^  i 


IlIdH    SALARIES,   t.C. 


103 


npo  riant 
must  bo 
't'i^Mi  li;js 
inni-wids 
riirtlir 
*i'<)vi  net- 
to  bo  ;)[■ 
:tioM  ami 
(ortrayoii 
liint  iind 
■iiig  thai 

(;r  (lays, 

j>!»rl.s()f 

niiiiercia! 

]ll.'Ul(M'  to 

re  sped.-, 

he  was  a 
Jt  lillleol' 
111(1  ns  the 

iniiiistra- 
togctlier, 
bw  Lieut. 
ose  souik; 
lice.  U'ti 
,  by  call- 
Mi  jvolpli, 
tbe  oflico 
Piovince. 

unmixett 
e.seiico  of 
viseti  yir 

tlie  new 
0  of  gov- 
vvero  no! 
)een  used 
was  gen- 

all  I  he 
R  British 
lis  Conn- 
e  suhjccf 
of  Corn- 
as  C.'oun- 


CI 


llors.  whoso  political  oj)inions  wero  in  opposition  to  tliose  of 


tho  pi'opl'^  and  l*Mjir  ropicsfMitauvcfl,  nnrl  in  njany  camm 


to  tho 


X|)n'sst'(l  wisli(?s  of  his  Mnjesty's  govcrninMnt;  as  was  shown 
Is,  I  ill  til"  nif'morabli!  insfnijco  of  Lord  (Jodijricli's  despatch.  But 
the  Cd'itilry  was  ignorant  how  much  tiu;  allairs  of  iIkj  l^ovinco 
liad  b''(!n  fondijcttni  hy  tho  arbitrary  will  of  the  fjiout.  Govern- 
or  liimsisif,  wiih  no  f)tlujr  counsel  than  li;e  s(»cret  suggestions 
nnd  reeonirntMidation  of  uiiHWorn,  irreH|)onsible  and  unknown 
ndvisers;  and  as  it  ulliniatciy  appeared,  this  appointment  of 
the  new  Coinicillors  was  nothing  but  a  deceitful  mano'iivrc  of 
»Sir  Francic,  to  eontinuo  the  old  system  and  to  gain  credit  witli 
the  people  at  the  same  tinie,  for  liberal  f(!clings  and  intentions, 
wlicro  none  actuallv  existed. 

Messrs.  Dunii,  l)aldwin,  and  Uolph,  accepted  the  oflice  of 
('ouncillors  on  the  fdlowing  previously  arranged  conditions, 
which  were  fully  understood  and  subscribed  to  by  his  I'ixccl- 
Icricy  : 

1st.  That  they  should  be  considered  in  the  same  relation  to 
ihii  Governor  as  tlie  Knglish  mini^try  were  to  his  Ma  jesty; 
that  they  should  be  consulted  on  all  matters  relating  to  the  Pro- 
vincial government;  and  his  I'i.xcellency  left  at  liberty  to  act  on 
iheir  advice,  or  not,  as  he  thtjught  proper.  Hut  in  the  event 
of  his  adopting  or  acting  on  measures  independently  of  their 
]|  counsel,  previously  taken,  that  they  should  ()0  at  liberty  to  re- 
tire, and  his  l.Cxcellency  at  liberty  to  appoint  other  Councillorsj 


Willi  vunvscongenin 


I  to  h 


is  own. 


On  these  constitutional  principles  they  accepted  office;  and 
trusting  to  Sir  Francis'  sincerity, they  were  sworn  in  on  the  20th 
i»f  Feb.  1837;  after  which  day  ho  never  calleil  uj)on  them  for 
counsel  or  advice,  but  carried  on  the  allairs  of  the  Province  in 
direct  opposition  tohisown  voluntary  and  solemn  engagements; 
Hid  made  appointments  highly  obnoxious  to  the  people. 

Ilo  also  withhi'ld  the  royal  assent  from  114  bills  passed  by 
the  Legislature;  many  of  which,  including  tho  felon's  counsel 
bill,  were  of  the  utmost  ct^nsequencc  to  the  welfare  of  the 
Province. 

It  was  evident  that  he  had  given  his  confidence,  and  was 
acting  under  the  influence  of  secret  and  unsworn  advisers. —  ^V 

Undi.T  these  circumstances  the  Council  were  led  to  examine 
'he  nature  and  extent  of  their  duties  under  the  constitutional 
act,  and  having  discussed  the  subject  with  his  Exccllcmcy  per- 
sonullv,    at  the  Council    Board,    they  united    afterwards  in  an 


!  W 


uiian 


m  \ 

imous  and    respectful    representation,    in   writing,  to  tho  j;  v!  j 


* 


t  i:.i 


'I'i  -M 


fl 


'^   n 


h\ 


'•I 


■I 


i. 


¥':         I 


1.       ,f 


■  .*■•..*■ 


li/', 


104 


CORRUPTION    MONEY 


Governor,  in  which,  afler  ndvcrtiiig  to  the  critical  state  of  the 
Province,  and  the  geufiral  discontent  created  by  th:>  p  ist  ndinin- 
istr.ition,  whicli  no  one  could  di)ul)r,  they  stated  thc'ir  views  ot 
the  Constitutional  Act  31st.  George  III,  ('hap,  ;31st,  as  it  respec- 
ted the  Executive  Council,  ainj  dievv  up  the?  following  addross: 

*'  Mat  it  pkkask  your  Excellkncy — The  i^Mcutivi 
Council,  impressed  with  the  oath  they  have  taken  lo  dischargo 
the  duties  necessarily  resullihg  froui  iludr  a|)poirilmenL 'Mo  lul- 
vise  thu  King  and  his  reprfseniativc,  in  the  goviMtiuient  oT  the 
Province''  in  the  ttM'nis  of  thii  Constitutiouul  Act  "upon  the  af. 
fairs  of  the  Provinces"  df^eni  it  ineuinbeiif  on  them,  most  lo- 
spectfully  to  submit  the  following  represcMilalion: 

''The  Executive  Council  rccogtiise  the  truth  of  the  oj)ii)ioii 
expn^ssed  by  Lord  Gloneig,  thai  *Mlje  pr(^sent  is  an  era  ot"  more 
difficulty  and  importauce  tiuui  any  which  has  hiihcrU)  occurred 
in  the  l)islory  of  this  part  of  his  iM;ijesJy's  domijiions."  This 
unlnppy  condition  they  ascribe,  m  a  very  great  degree,  to  the 
hitherto  unconstitutional  abridgment  of  the  duties  of  tin;  Execu- 
tive Counci!.  It  appears,  from  the  proceedings  of  the  House 
of  Assembly,  and  from  the  reiteration  of  established  opinion  in 


^-  I 


unless  speedily  arrested,  by  atlbrding  the  unrestricted  opera- 
tion of  the  31st.  Geo.  Ill,  chap,  31,  will  not  only  become  more 
fixed,  hut  rapidly  increase  to  a  greater  and  irretrievable  ex- 
tent. The  policy  and  measures  which  hiive  led  the  Province 
to  the  present  unpleasant  condition,  seldom  passed  under  tii*' 
review  of  the  Ex(^cutive  Counci  ,  or  were  ^ubmilted  for  their 
advice.  Nevertheless,  its  members  have  been  undeservedly 
subjected  to  the  heaviest  reproach  throughout  the  country  from 
a  prevalent  belief  that  they  have  been  called  upo.i  to  fulfil  the 
the  duties  imposed  upon  them  by  the  constitution,  as  advisers 
upon  public  aflliirs.  But  amidst  the  obloquy  thus  thrown  upon 
them,  they  have  studiously  avoided  any  attempt  at  exculpation, 
by  disavowing  in  their  defence  any  participation  in  the  conduct 
of  afTairs  which  they  were  erroneously  supposed  to  have  appro- 
ved. The  consequence  ol'  this  silent  endurance  of  political 
odium  has  been  the  perpetuation  of  the  misbelief  that  the  Exe- 


s', ranger  t( 


the  country^  that  neither  will  public  expectation  be  satisu 
nor  contentment  ha  restored,  until  the  syst(;m  of  local  govern- 
ment is  altered,  an;!  condncted  according  to  the  true  spirit  anu 
meaning  of  the  constitutional  act.  The  d(day  of  this  just  and  ^  a  source  o 
indispensable  course  has  already  excited  in  the  great  mass  oi 
the  people  a  lamentable  jealousy  ai:d  distrust,  and  has  induced 
the  discussion  of   constitutional   chang'es,   the  desire  of   wbicli. 


;i:iurs  Ol 


IIIGW    SALARIES,    &,C. 


105 


lie  of  the 

«l  ndmin- 
viow's  of 
It  re  spec  • 
!uI(iross: 
'Apcutivc 
clisciiai'ge 
nl  'Mofui- 
-nt  oftho 
)n  tho  af. 
most  re. 

10  o])ii)ioii 
ii  of  mo IX' 

occurred 
>."  This 
:;(.',  (o  the 
(!  Exccii- 
he  H(^-usi 
ipinion 

SiltisflLif', 

1 1  govern- 

spirit  am 

i>  just  and 

t  mass  oi 

s  induced 

if  whicli. 

ed  opera- 

>ino  n)oi'o 

vable  e.x- 

Province 

under  tiu" 

for  their 

iiservedly 

I  try  from 

fulfil  the 

advisers 

jvvn  upon 

ulj),ilion, 

I  conduct 

'e  appro- 

politica 

the  Exe- 


cutive Council  were  oonvercjatit  with  the  alfairs  of  the  Province, 
upon  which  they  are  appoitilod  to  advise;  and  although  un  op- 
posite practice  hus  generally  prevailed  between  Governors!  and 
liiuir  councillors,  yet  it  ims  ever  been  notoriously  contrary  to 
iho  state  ol'thiugs  presumed  by  tlu;  community  to  exist.  Public 
opinion  respecting  the  Executive  (Joiincil  and  their  duties,  has 
bij'jn  founded  upon  the  tenn^  of  the  31st  Geo.  [11.,  to  which 
statuto  the  people  used  to  express  a  firm  att.ichmcMit;   an  attach- 


Mit  which  the  Couiieii  bt-lieve  never  would  have  he 


CM  impair- 


ed, liatl  the  ct)nstilution  btieii  administered,  either  accorditii'  to 
lis  letter  or  spirit.  *  '''  _  *•;-**  y"^^^^^ 
ilio  language  of  t!io  statute  it  appears  plainly:  First,  that 
{'ifToisan  Executive  council;  secondly,  that  tiiey  are  appoint- 
ed by  the  King;  that  tlu'v  ar<j  app(Mnled  to  advise  lh{3  King  and 
liis  representatives   upon  'riii':  ^'affaiiis  oi^'  tmi-:   Piiovince 


>7 


No  [inticuiar  atlairs    are 


so; 


i\o  limitation   to  aiiv  parti- 


MJu"   or  suojecl.      As    the    coiisliiutioual    act  prescriii.'s  to  the 
coiiueil,  the  *Miiairs  (jf  the  Province,"  it  requires  equal  author- 
itv  of  huv  to  narrow  those  limits,  or  relieve  llie  council    from  a 
i!i  ■  C')-extonsive  duty. 

I'jvory  representative  of  the  King,  upon  arriving  from  Eng- 
:in(l  to  assume  tho  government  of  this  country,  is  necessarily  a 
sirancfcr  to  ii;  and  the  law   has  provided  for  a  local  council,  as 


a  source  of  advice,  which,  when  given,  is  followed  or  not,  az- 


cordiuiif  to  his  discretion. 


* 


rt' 


Hut  while  the  consti- 


tiitioa  has  assigned  to  the  council  this  duty,  it  is  only  to  a  v^ery 
sjbordiaate  and  limited  extent  that  they  have  hitherto  had  op- 
j))rt'jni!y  affonled  them  to  perl'orm  it.  It  is  admitted  that  the 
I  xigoncy  of  the  statute  can  only  be  answered  by  allov/ing  the 
ruFurs  of  tiie  Province  to  pass  under  thulr  review  for  such  ad- 
vico  lis  their  consciences  may  suggest,  preparatory  to  the  final 
i\\\d  discretionary  action  of  tho  Governor  upon  those  aiiairs. — 
The  council  meeting  once  a  week  upon  land  matters,  while  the 
allliirs  of  the  country  are  wittheld  from  their  consideration  and 
advice,  is  os  imperfect  a  fullfdment  of  the  constitutional  act  as 
it"  tho  Provincial  Parliament  were  summoned  once  a  year  to 
meet,  agreeable  to  the  letter  of  tlie  law,  and  immediately  pro- 
rougiid  ui)on  answering  tho  speech  from  the  throne.  In  both 
oases  the  true  meaning  and  spirit  of  the  constitutional  net  re- 
quire that  the  Parliament  should  have  a  general  and  prnctica- 
hlc  opportunity  to  legislate,  and  the  executive  council  to  advise 
liticai  I  upon  the  aiiairs  of  tiio  country.  In  the  former  case,  the  rep- 
lescntivc  of  the  King  can  withhold  the  royal  assent  from  bills; 


i  '!.'fei| 


^■-<  '   t 


'.  1 


m.i  \}j 


106 


COIIIIUPTION    MONEY, 


If  •' 


'•«.   : 


('-  I, 


P':^^:    r 


m 


i ' 


111    :    K^f 


<.  1 


p, 

Hi'  '^^ 

tell 


i  -  1  ii 


unci  in  thelattcM-.  reject  the  advice  oflercd;  but  tlieir  respec- 
tive proceedings  cannot  be  constuntionully  circnnjbcrihcd 
or  denied,  beciuise  tliey  need  the  exj)resision  of  the  iloviil 
pleasnre  tiicreon  (or  their  consuiUination.         *         * 

The  people  litive  loniJ:  and  anxiously  souiiht  lor  the  ad- 
ministration oC  their  government,  under  the  repr«?^rtitalioii 
of  the  iving  ;  and  the  council  most  resju'ctluliy,  but  at  the 
same  time  earncsUy,  lepresent  that  public  opmion  upon  the 
subject  IS  so  llxed,  and  be,comin'r  so  imp  itient,  as  to  pre 
elude  the  possibility  o(  denying-  or  delayinof  the  measure. 
without  increasing  public  dissalisiaction,  and  leading  to  the 
final  adoption  of  oth(;r  views,  as  already  universally  mani- 
fested, uncongenial  to  the  genius  of  the  constitution,  and 
most  dangerous  to  the  connection  witii  the  parent  state— 
Tlie  remedy,  it  is  feared,  is  now  proposed  too  late  fornl! 
the  advantages  desired  :  but  the  longer  it  is  withheld,  the 
more  alienated  and  irreconcilable  Vv'ill  the  public  become, 
The  Council  would  be  hr.ppy  in  establishing  a  system  oi 
government,  according  to  the  principles  recognized  by  the 
charter  of  the  liberties  of  the  cotmtry — an  cxpcctatioii 
which  the  Council  are  most  anxious  to  realize.  Should 
such  a  course  not  be  deeiued  wise  or  admissible  by  the  gov- 
ernor, the  Council  most  rcspectiully  pray,  that  may  be  al- 
lowed to  disabuse  the  public,  from  a  misapprehension  of  the 
nature  and  extent  of  duties  confided  to  them. 

Sirrjied,    PRTEK  ROBINSON. 

GEORGE  0.  MARKLAND. 
JOSEPH  WKLLS, 
.TO UN  R.  DUNN. 
ROBERT  B   LDWIN. 
JOHN  ROLPH. 

To  this  representation.  Sir  F.  B.  Head  sent  a  reply,  con- 
cluding With  the  following  paragraph  : 

"The  Lieutenant  Governor,  assures  the  Council,  that 
his  estimation  of  their  talents  and  integrity,  as  well  as  his 
personal  regard  for  them,  remains  unshaken  ;  that  he  is  not 
insensible  of  the  difficulties,  to  which  he  will  be  exposed, 
should  they  deem  it  necessary  to  leave  him.  At  the  same 
time,  should  they  be  of  opmion,  that  the  oath  they  have  ta 


ken,  reqiii 
than  Uom 
that  on  his 
do  so."  . 
When  tl 
pies  were  ' 
would  act 
coptod  the 
retention  < 
taieed  :mc 
read  t!i>'  ci 
tain  ''bis  (. 
:ibauden  tj 
tion  so  olfi 
or  ol'the  k 
deiiioraliz 
they  relir< 
less  of  ll'i: 
[lis  Hxce' 

vice  ujton 
hisres'itn! 

cil  ab')nt 

his  paho 

advice  oi 

so,  to  nial 

His  extra 

that  he  w 

it  was  th'. 

ity  of  the 

theexten 

constitiU 

cil  on  all 

h'rancis 

er,  to  red 

my  to  all 

terms,  b( 

arrival  f 

the  FtJ'te 

It  secme 

fore  mal 


HIGH    SALARIES,    &C. 


107 


'ir  rcspec- 
Ihc 


liovd 


■^r  the  ad- 
-"f^iitatioii 
but  at  the 
u\m]  the 
IS  to  pre. 

measure, 
iiJg  to  the 
lily  tuani- 
Jtioii,  and 
It  state.-^ 

iJield,  the 
jccorne, 

system  oi 
'ccl  by  the 
qioctatioii 
I  kSIiould 
y  lliegov- 
iKiy  be  al- 
iioa  of  the 

N. 

:land, 


c 


IN. 


iplV;  con- 

ricil,  that 
II  as  Iiis 
he  is  not 
exposed; 
he  same 
have  ta- 


ken, requires  them  to  retire  from  liis  confidence,  rather 
than  Worn  the  prmnphs  they  have  avowed,  he  begs, 
that  on  his  account,  they  will  not  for  a  moment  hesitate  to 

do  so." 

When  the  Council  accepted  office,  their  political   princi- 
ples were  made  known,   and  the  conditions  on  wliich  they 
would  act  were  fully  explained  to  Sir  F.  13.  Head.     He  ac- 
cepted their  services,  on  those  conditions,  with  the  avowed 
retention  of  the  opinions  they  had  hitherto  publicly  enter- 
tained tuid  acted  on.     It  was,  therefore,  with  pain,  that  they 
read  tln'  coiicludino;  part  of  Sir  Francis'  reply.    That  to  re- 
tain "!iis  coiilidence,  and  a  seat  in  the  Council,  they  must 
(bandou  their  principles."     Thoy  considered  this  proposi- 
tion so  olfensivoly  ohjectionahle — so  deroiratory  to  the  hon- 
or ol'tli!^  K'ini,^ —  their  own  character  as  ircntUnnen  ;  and  so 
deinora'izins:  to    the  comuiunity,    that,  without  hesitation, 
they  retired  from  the  councils  of  a  man,  so  pal|)ably  reck- 
less of  honor  atid  character,  as  Sir  Fra!icis  avowed  himself. 
Flis  liixcelicucy  contended  that  he  would  not  take  their  ad- 
vice nnoii  i!io  aii^airs  of  the  Province,  because  it  took  away 
his  resifOMsihiiity,  and  that  he  wonld  not  consult  the  Coun- 
cil ab  )nt  \\\c  e.ppointtncnts   to  ohlce,  because  it   took  aw*ay 
his  yahnnao-f!.     If  it  was  vvronii^  to  ask  the  Council  tiieir 
advice  on  the  affairs  of  the  province,  was  it  not  palfjably, 
so,  to  nialce  them  bear  the  blame  of  his  misi>-overninent  ? — 
His  extraordinary  conduct  amounted  to   this,  in  the    issue, 
that  he  would  carry  on  an  arbitrary  frovernment,  not  Ix'cause 
it  was  the  best  calculated  to  advance  the  peace  and  prosper- 
ity of  the  country,  but  for  the  selfish   purpose  of  displaying 
the  extent  of  his  power.     For  it  was  not  contended  that  the 
constitution  prevented  him  from  consultin'.r  with  the  (^'oun- 
cil  on  all  matters,  if  he  was  only  desirous  of  doiui^  t^o.     Sir 
I'Vancis  now,  threw  off'  ail  (Jisoaiise,  and  fr  )in  the  Reform- 
er, to  redress  all  their  ofi'ievances,  becavne  the  avowed  one- 
mvtoall  reform;   abused  the   late  Council  in  unmeasured 
terms,  because,  "they  represent(;d  that  all  o^overnorson  their 
arrival  from  Fnirland,  were  necessarily  wholly  inrnorant  of 
the  state  of  the  Province,and  the  character  of  its  inhabitants; 
It  seemed,  therefore,  rational,  and  prudent  to  tliein,  that  be- 
Ibre  m.iking  appointments   to  office,  he  should  receive  the 


ill)  <i 


/«; 


i" 


k. 


i|i 


"t; 


:■•/«( 


i 


:« 


108 


COUUUPTION    MO.NLVj 


•V^' 


im  i]  ■ 


r'l;' ■• 


Ik 


i>i 


advice  of  the  Couneilj  in  ccujunction  with  wlioin,  he  coiilij 
make  belter  inquiries,  mid  arrive  at  safer  conchisions,  than 
by  his  own  nnaided  judgment."     In  his  reply  to  ihe  Coun- 
cil,   he   declared  ihut   "  ihe    Province  had   nut  the  l\\-\[. 
Isk  constitution^  nor   its  resi  ntblancc,  nor  itiry   tiling  lik 
areseinbianci:.     'IMiis  bold  assertion,  snii)rised  all  cliKs^cs; 
lor  they  were  accnstonieci  to  believe  that  the  governor  rep- 
resented his  ttKiji'Sty;  the  council  his  ministers;  the  lejiislu- 
tive    0(.)nucil  the  Mouse  oi  Lords,   and  the    Ass^Miibly  the 
House  of  ('ommoiis,  with  their  resjiectivesplieres  of  opera. 
lion.      [Jut   (Sir  l*'r(uicis,  in  his   reply  to  the  jiddrc  ;>s  (siiii 
Common  Council  oi  the  city  ol  Toronto,  njainiiiincd  lliai 
•'  no  rroclncial  (u/ni i/risf ration  vxiaUd  in  (  jim.chi,  or  oiiy 
other  of  his  m;ijesty's  coionies;"  "that  its  ojx-ration  would  bo 
productive  ol  tho.  most  vicious  eilccts."  1  laving  ( ( c  rccd  tlie 
new  mcmLerSjto  resign  and  to  render  his  adniinislraiion  !^n- 
premeiy  (H.!ious,  in  the  i'ace  and  teeth  oi   the  Ai-s;:(  inMy,  he 
called  to  liis  council  men  of  tlie  most  nltra  iorv  charjictcr 
tiiat  could  I  e  found  in  the  Province,     'i'lir    House  ot  7\s- 
sembly  regretted,   in  their  remonstrance  to  him.  that  v.-licn 
he  was  emihled  through  the  late  lil, end  Conncil.  tocc^ndiict 
liis  administration  in  a   monner  ellicient  and  satisfucioiv; 
calcniiiied  to  aliny  aJ.l  existing  discontent,  aiid  j;reserve  the 
peace,  v»'olf;n\\   and  ^ood  governmtmt  of  the  I'lovinrc,  ho 
should  so  hustily,  rashly   and   disingennousiy    dis;ij  j  oiiil 
public  exjXM.'tatioinand  till  the  Province  with  greater  disfrcss 
and  apprehension,  dian  ever  prevailed  upon  ther///c//  ^ws- 
tion.     ^riie  Ihuise,    respectfully    hnt  earnestly,  urged  the 
J.ient.  C»overnor,  to  enforce  the  principles  oi  tlie    Uritifh 
constitution,  rfispectiuLr  the  conlidential  advisers  of  tlie  gov- 
ernment, and    intimated '»n    intention  on  their  [)art,  tli:'l  if 
these  just  and  reasonable  wishes  were  any  loncror  disre^jard- 
ed,  they   should   withhold  the  supplies   from  the   govern- 
ment.    They  declared  their  regret  at  the  removal  of  tho 
late  Executive  Conncil,  and  their  entire  want  ol  confidence 
in  the  newly  appointed   members  of  it,  and   to  prevent  .'U! 
open  rnpturi',  they  humbly,  hut   firmly  requested    him  to 
take  immedinte  steps  for  their  removal.     Sir  Francis,  nev- 
ertheless retained  them,  disresfarding  the  wishes  of  ihepeo 
yle,  thus  constitutionally  expressed;   and  answered  them 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


109 


Very  laconically,  that  "Ac  was  responsible  to  7ione  hit  ths 
K'ui^^'^  ^^  alternative  was  now  left  the  House,  but  to 
abuiidoii  their  principles,  privileges  and  honor,  and  to  be- 
tray their  duties,  and  the  rights  of  the  people  ;  or  to  withhold 
the  supplies  ;  which  was  accordingly  done.  But  previous 
fothis,  the  citizens  ot  Toronto  addressed  the  governor  as 
follows : 

''We,  His  Majesty's  dutiiul  and  loyal  subjects,  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  city  of  Toronto,  assembled  under  the  authori- 
ty o(  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  beg  respectfully  to  submit  to 
Vour  Excellency,  this,  our  address,  containing  the  expres- 
sion of  our  sentiments  and  feelings  in  reference  to  the  late 
changes  in  the  Execvtive  Council,  and  of  the  opinions 
which  have  been  expressed  by  Your  Excellency  as  to  the 
nature  of  the  constitution  of  this  Province. 

That  Col.  Simcoe,  the  first  as  well  as  the  ablest  and  most 
ealigliteno^d  liieut.  Governor  of  this  Province,  who  was  a- 
meinber  of  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain,  when  the  sta 
lut^*  31st  Geo.  Ill,  chap.  31,  commonly  called  the  Constitu- 
liiunil  Act,  was  passed,  was  the  bearer  of  that  Act  to  this 
colouy,  and  was  authorized  undoubtedly,  by  his  Majestys 
^ovennnent,  to  declare  to  his  faithful  subjects  in  this  Prov- 
ince, tlie  nature  of  the  constitution,  then  about  to  be  put 
into  operation  for  their  benefil,  and  who  assured  the  people 
of  this  Province  from  the  throiie,  on  the  opening  of  the  first 
::0.s>ion  of  the  Provinci  il  Parliament,  that  the  said  act  had 
■established  the  British  Constitutioii^  and  all  the  forms 
which  secure  and  maintain  it  in  this  distant  country,"  and 
'•that  the  wisdom  and  beneficence  of  our  Most  Gracious 
Sovereign,  and  the  British  Parliament  has  been  eminently 
proved,  not  only;  imparting  to  us  the  same  form  of  govern- 
iaent,  but  also  in  securing  the  benefits  of  it  by  the  many 
I'lovisions  that  guard  that  memorable  act,  so  that  the  bles- 
iin^^s  of  an  invaluable  constitution  thus  protected  and  arn- 
piified,  they  misjht  hope  would  be  extended  to  the  remotest 
posterity  ;"  and  that  the  same  governor  upon  closinor  that 
session,  specially  enjoined  upon  the  members  of  the  Legis- 
lature f^rom  the  throne  to  explain  to  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try, '-that  this  Province  was  singularly  blest,  not  with  a 
mutillated  constitution,  but  a  constitution  which  has  stood 
10 


'    i* 


":r'.. 


1 


\   ■' 


S^ 


i 


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II'' 


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110 


MEMORIALS,  &C. 


the  test  of  experience,  and  was  the  very  image  and^lranscript 
of  that  of  Great  Britain." 

That  it  is  an  essential  and  inalienable  feature  of  the  Brit- 
ish constitution  thus  to  assure  us,  that  the  Kins^  shall  be 
assisted  in  all  the  affairs  of  government  by  the  advice  ot 
known  and  responsible  councillors  and  offic<'rs  who  possess 
the  confidence  of  the  people,  and  of  the  majority  of  their 
JRepresentatives  ;  and  that  our  fellow  subjects  in  the  United 
Kinjjdom  would  indicrnantly  resent  any  attempt  to  deprive 
them  of  this  part  ot  their  constitution,  as  an  infringcmfnt 
upon  their  most  sacred  rights  and  liberties,  and  a  step  taken 
to  deofrade  them  to  the  condition  of  slaves. 

That  the  recent  appointment  hy  Your  Excellency,  of  the. 
Hon.  JohnEolph.  Robert  Baldwin  and  John  Ilenr  Dniiii, 
Executive  Councillors  gave  universal  gladness  aiid  siitiis 
faction  throughout  the  Province,  those  gentlemen  havinir 
been  lonsj  known,  beloved  and  respected  for  the  talents  ac- 
quirements, and  virtues  which  adorn  their  characters:  tlio 
liberal  and  patriotic  principles  that  they  entertain;  and  the 
important  services  which  they  have  respectively  rendered tn 
the  people  of  this  Province;  and  that  the  selection  of  them 
by  your  Excellency,  as  your  advisers,  disposed  his  majesty's 
subjects  to  hope  that  a  new  and  happy  era  had  at  length  arri- 
ved in  the  history  of  this  Province. 

That  we  have  learned  with  surprise  and  sorrow  that 
those  gentlemen,  together  with  the  former  members  of  your 
Excellency's  Council,  have  found  themselves  under  the  nc 
cessity  of  resignmg  their  seats,  and  that  your  Excellency 
appears  to  us,  to  have  taken  offence  for  no  other  reason, 
than  the  respectful  expressions  of  an  opinion  in  favor  of  the 
government  being  conducted  on  the  acknowledged  princi 
pies  of  the  British  Constitution  ;  an  opinion,  supported  by 
unanswerable  arguments,  and  which  they  were  bound  by 
every  obligation  of  honor  and  duty,  as  faithful  councillors, 
to  express  to  your  Excellency. 

That  our  most  sincere  respect  and  gratitude  are  due  to 
those  gentlemen,  and  their  late  colleagues  in  your  Excellen- 
cy's Council,  for  the  noble  efforts  which  they  made  in  the 
honorable  and  upright  discharge  of  their  duties,  to  secure  to 
ihe  people  of  this  Province  the  practical  benefit  and  faith- 


ful appliCi' 
portance  ' 
solemnly 
and  unaltt 
lilate  and 
principles, 
ration  of 
never,  in  ( 
is  only  a 

That  w 
collency, 
called  to  ] 
Council,  < 
people  of 
Wc  fui 
n-ret  at  tl 
luid  unkii 
the  circu 
your  late 
equally  o 
of  our  IVj 
this  pain 
nest  hope 
been  gu 
(lence,  m 
hi  con 
that  as  si 
and  priv 
of  aBrii 
ment,  gi 
that  the 
our  affai 
of  the  pc 
ernment 
the  Pare 
regard  c 
hope  res 
present  ( 


P 


•ranscript 

the  Brit- 
shall  be 
advice  of 
o  possess 
;'  of  their 
le  United 
o  deprive 
ngemf-nt 
tep  taken 

icy,  of  the, 

u    Dniiii, 

aiid  salLs' 

n  haviii(r 

alents  ac- 

jcters:  the 

and  the 

enderecl  tn 

•n  of  tliem 

3  mnjesty's 

cngth  nrri- 

rrow  that 
n*sof  your 
ler  the  nc 
Ixcelleiicy 
31'  reason, 
vor  of  thj 
:ed  princi 
iported  by 
bouiKl  by 
)uncillors, 

ire  due  to 
Excel  I en- 
ade  in  the 
)  secure  to 
and  faith- 


MKMO RIALS,   &C. 


Ill 


fill  application  of  constitutional  principles  of  the  highest  im- 
portance to  their  liberty  and  prosperity ;  and  that  we  are 
solemnly  called  upon  at  such  a  crisis  to  declare  our  firm 
and  unalterable  determination  to  resist  every  attempt  to  mu- 
tilate and  deform  our  Constitution,  by  the  denial  of  those 
principles,  or  the  refusal  of  a  full  benefit  and  practical  ope- 
ration of  them,  and  that  the  people  of  this  Province,  will 
never,  in  our  humble  opinion,  be  content  with  a  system  that 
is  only  a  mockery  of  a  free  and  responsible  government. 

That  we  feel  it  our  bounden  duty,  to  declare  to  your  Ex- 
cellency, that  the  gentlemen  whom  your  Excellency  has 
called  to  your  Council,  since  the  resignation  of  your  late 
Conncil,  do  not  in  any  degree  possess  tlie  confidence  of  the 
people  of  Upper  Canada. 

We  further  humbly  express  our  disappointment  and  re- 
n-ret  at  the  remarks  which  Your  Excellency  has,  by  evil 
and  unknown  advisers,  been  induced  to  animadvert  upon 
the  circumstanci  s  under  which  your  Excellency  caused 
your  late  Council  to  resign  ;  and  that  respect  which  it  is 
equally  our  duty  and  inclination  to  pay  the  Representative 
of  our  Most  Gracious  Sovereign,  forbids  our  declaring  on 
this  painful  occasion,  any  other  feeling,  than  that  of  an  ear- 
nest hope  that  the  persons,  whoever  they  may  be,  who  have 
been  guilty  of  such  an  abuse  of  your  Excellency's  confi- 
dence, may  be  forever  discarded  by  your  Excellency. 

hi  conclusion,  we  beg  leave  to  state  to  your  Excellency, 
that  as  subjects  of  the  British  empire,  we  claim  all  the  rights 
and  privileges  of  the  British  Constitution,  and  as  subjects 
of  a  British  colony,  possessing  the  powers  of  self  govern- 
ment, given  to  it  by  the  Parent  State,  we  claim  our  right 
that  the  Representative  of  the  Crown  shall  be  advised  in  all 
our  affairs  by  men  known  to,  and  possessing  the  confidence 
of  the  people  ;  and  as  the  true  friends  of  his  majesty's  gov- 
ernment, and  to  the  permanency  of  our  connexion  with 
the  Parent  State  we  earnestly  entreat  your  Excellency  to 
regard  our  opinions  and  remonstrances  (firmly,  though  we 
hope  respectfully  expressed)  and  adopt  measures  to  calm  the 
present  extraordinary  state  of  public  excitement,  aggravated 


i    mil 


•  ii  I 


-4 


'fVi 


H;i; 


M 


..  f 


I 


<  I 


*i.f' 


i: 


«;-  r"  '  !■ 


m  i 


<^|.;  !    i'i. 


ill..'.- 

ili 

1  ■  , 

fi 

1    '■ 

1 

* 

' 

112 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


by  the  high  hopes  created  in  the  pubhc  mind  by  the  rcrrio 
val  of  Sir  John  Colborne,  and  the  appointment  of  your  Ex- 
cellency to  the  head  ofthe  Administiation. 

By  order  of  the  meeting. 

Signed,  T.  D.  MORRISON,  Mayor. 

Chairfnan. 

JAMES  LESLIE,  Seai/. 

HIS  EXCELLENCY'S  REPLY. 

Gentlemen  : — Having  reason  to  believe  that  the  meet- 
ing from  which  you  are  a  deputation,  was  composed  [)rin. 
cipaliy  of  the  industrious  classes  and  being  persuaded  iliai 
the  liberal  principle  of  the  ijritish  government,  in  whatever 
climate  it  may  exist,  is  the  welfare  and  happiness  ofthe  pen 
pie,  I  shall  make  it  my  duty  to  reply  to  your  address  wiili 
as  much  attention  as  if  it  had  proceeded  from  either  of  ihe 
blanches  of  the  Legislature,  althougli  I  shall  express  my- 
self in  plainer  and  more  homely  language. 

1st.  1  have  no  wish  to  deny  "that  Col.  Simcoc  was  the 
first  as  well  as  the  ablest  and  most  enlightened  governor  c( 
this  Province — that  he  was  a  member  of  Parliament  when 
the  Statute  31st  Geo.  Ill,  chap  31,  commonly  called  the 
Constitutional  act  was  passed  ;  and  that  he  was  the  bearer 
of  that  act  to  this  colony  ;"  but  I  ask  3^ou,  can  this  possibly 
alter  the  solemn  act  itself?  For  surely  your  own  plain 
good  sense  will  tell  you,  that  Col.Simcoo  had  no  niojc 
power,  either  during  his  first  voyage  or  on  his  arrival  here, 
to  alter  the  charter  committed  to  his  charge,  than  1  had 
power  to  alter  the  Instruction  which  I  lately  delivered  from 
his  majesty  to  both  Houses  of  your  Legislature;  and  so  if 
Col.  Simcoe,  instead  of  saying  that  the  constitution  of  this 
Province  "  was  the  very  image  and  transcript  of  that  ot 
Great  Britain,'^  had  thought  proper  to  compare  it  to  the  ar- 
bitrary governments  of  Russia  or  Constantinople,  it  would 
in  no  way  have  injured  your  liberties,  or  altered  one  single 
letter  of  the  written  charter  of  your  land. 

2d.  I  have  no  wish  to  deny  "that  in  the  British  constidi- 
tion,  the  King  is  assisted  in  all  the  affairs  of  government, 


v:!.: 


MEMORIALS,  &C. 


ii5 


by  the  advice  of  known  and  responsible  councillors  and  of- 
ticers,  who  possess  the  conlidence  of  the  pcaj)le,"  and  who 
turin  ills  majesty's  cabinet;  but  (Jol.  Simcoe,  who  you  your- 
selves state  "was  autliorised  undoubtedly  by  his  majesty's 
oovernmeiit  to  declare  to  his  laithl'ul  subjects  in  this  Prov- 
ince the  nature  of  the  constitution/' created  no  such  cabinet 
1101  any  cabinet  at  all,  and  from  iiis  diy,  down  to  the  pres- 
ent lioui',  there  never  has  existed  any  ministry  in  the  colo- 
ny, except  the  governor,  who  is  himself  the  responsible 
minister  of  the  crown. 

Supposing  it  were  to  be  argued  that  four-fifths  of  the 
members  ol  your  house  of  Assembly  ought  immediately  to 
he  dismissed,  l)ecause,  in  proportion  to  the  population  of 
dreat  Britain  and  Ireland  there  exist  five  tunes  as  many 
members  liere  as  in  the  English  House  of  Commons  would 
you  not  think  it  very  irrational  that  this  noble  but  thinly 
peopled  colony  should  be  made  "the  exact  image  and  trans- 
cript of  the  British  constitution,"  merely  because  Col.  Sim- 
coe happened  to  use  these  words  ?  Would  you  not  imme- 
diately appeal  to  your  constitutional  act  on  the  subject? 

Would  you  deem  it  just  that  a  young  rising  Province  like 
this,  should  be  afflicted  with  the  same  expensive  machinery 
requisite  for  the  government  of  the  mother  country,  4000 
miles  off. 

Would  you  not  fairly  argue,  that  as  the  whole  population 
of  this  immense  country  exceeds  only  by  one  third  that  of 
the  single  parish  of  St.  Mary  le-bone  in  London — and  as 
the  whole  of  its  revenue  does  not  equal  the  private  fortune 
of  many  an  Kngiish  commoner,  it  would  be  unreasonable 
to  expect  that  the  people  of  this  Province  should  be  ruined 
HI  vainly  attempting  to  be  the  "exact  image  and  transcript'^ 
o(  the  British  constitution. 

But  the  constitution  which  His  Britannic  Majesty  George 
the  Third  granted  to  this  Province  ordained  no  such  absur- 
dities ;  and  you  Lave  only  to  read  that  constitution,  to  see 
quite  clearly  to  the  truth  of  this  assertion. 

The  yeomen  and  industrious  classes  of  Upper  Canada 
should  never  allow  a  single  letter  to  be  subtracted  from,  or 
added  to,  this  great  charter  of  their  liberties  ;  for  if  once  they 
permit  it  to  be  mutilated,  or  what  may  be  termed  improved 

10* 


-4 


("-1 


!m4 


?' 


■t}    ) 


i    1 


i^ll 


h 


I-  '\ 


ii: 


/  • 


')  ■    i 


114 


MEMORIALS,   frC. 


they  nnd  their  children  become  instnntly  liable  to  find  them- 
selves suddenly  deprived  of  their  properly,  and  what  is  bet 
ter  thnn  all  property,  of  their  fieedoni  and  independence. 

By  this  net,  you  are  of  course  aware  that  a  House  of  As 
sembly,  a  Legfislative  Council,  and  a  Lieutenant  Governor 
are  appointed  ;  but  it  creates  no  Kxecutive  Council :  and  if 
people  tell  you  that  it  does,  read  lln^  act,  and  you  will  see 
the  contrary. 

Now,  as  regards  the  House  of  Assembly,  you  must  know 
that  beinir  your  Uepresentatives,  they  are  of  course  answer- 
able to  you  lor  their  conduct ;  and  as  reijards  the  Licuten. 
ant  Governor,  I  publicly  declare  to  you,  that  I  am  liable  to 
dismissal  in  case  I  should  neolect  your  interests. 

But,  contrary  to  the  practice  which  has  existed  in  this  or 
any  other  British  colony, — contrary  to  Col.  Si!ncoe's  prac- 
tice or  to  the  practice  of  any  other  Lieutenant  Governor 
who  has  ever  been  stationed  in  this  Province, — it  has  sud- 
denly been  demanded  of  me  that  the  Executive  Council  are 
to  be  reponsible  for  my  acts;  and,  because  I  have  refused, 
at  a  moment's  Vv'arninij,to  surrender  that  responsiblity  which 
lowe  to tlie  people, — whose  real  interests  I  will  never  aban- 
don,— I  find  that  every  possible  political  effort  is  now  ma- 
king to  blind  tlie  public  mind,  and  to  irritate  its  most  violent 
passions. 

Bui  I  calmly  ask,  what  can  be  tho  secret  meaning  of  nil 
this?  Is  it  usual  for  one  person  to  insist  on  bearing  anothor 
person's  blame?  or  for  a  body  of  men  to  insist  on  receiving 
the  punishnirnt  incurred  by  an  individual  superior  to  them  in 
station?  Why,  therefore,  should  my  Council,  whose  valuable 
advice,  if  it  were  not  to  he  forced  upon  mo,  I  should  be  most 
anxious  to  receive,  be  required  to  demand  from  me  my  re- 
spoi^ibilily?  What  reason  can  exist  for  attempting  to  deprive 
me  of  the  only  consolation  which  supports  any  honest  man  in 
an  arduous  dutv,  namelv:  the  reflection  that  he  is  ready  t" 
atone  for  every  error  he  commits,  and  that  be  is  subject  to  ar- 
raignment if  he  offends?  Why  should  it  bo  declared  that  ro- 
sponsibility  would  be  more  perfect  with  my  Council  than  with 
me?  Are  they  purer  from  party  feelings,  or  less  entanglft^! 
with  their  family  connections,  than  I  am?  How  can  gentle- 
men who  have  sworn  to  be  dumb,  be  responsible  to  the  yeo- 
manry and  people  of  this  rising  Province?     How  could  they 


MEMORIALS,    icC, 


115 


possibly  underlako  tondministerthis  Government,  with  mouthi 
sealed  by  an  onlh  which  forbids  them  to  disclose,  to  any  one, 
the  valuable  advice  they  may  conscientiously  impart  to  me? 

The  answer  to  these  questions  is  very  short.  The  political 
party  which  demand  responsibility  from  my  council,  know  per- 
fectly well  that  the  power  and  patronage  of  th(3  crown  are  at- 
tached to  it;  and  it  is  too  evident,  that  if  they  could  but  obtain 
this  marrow,  the  empty  bone  of  contention — namely:  responsi- 
bility to  the  people, — they  would  soon  be  too  happy  to  throw 
away;  and  from  that  fatal  moment  would  all  those  who  nobly 
appreciate  liberty,  wi)o  iiave  property  to  lose,  and  who  have 
children  to  think  of,  deeply  lament,  that  they  had  listened  to 
sophistry,  had  been  frightened  by  clamor,  and  had  deserted  the 
Representative  of  our  gracious  Sovereign,  to  seek  British  jus- 
tice from  his  mute  but  cofidential  advisers.  Tliis  supposition, 
however,  I  will  not  permit  to  be  realized;  for  never  will  I  sur- 
render the  serious  responsibility  1  owe  to  the  people  of  (his 
Province;  and  I  have  that  reliance  in  their  honostj  —  I  have 
lived  so  intimately  with  the  yeomanry  and  industrious  classes 
of  our  revered  mother  country,  that  I  well  know,  the  more  I 
am  assailed  by  faction,  the  stronger  will  be  their  loyal  support, 
—and  that  if  intimidation  be  continued,  it  will  soon  be  made  to 
recoil  upon  those  who  shall  presume  to  have  recourse  to  it. 

The  grievances  of  this  Province  must  be  corrected — im- 
]iarfial  justice  must  be  administered:  the  people  have  asked  for 
il — their  Sovereign  has  ordained  it — I  am  here  to  execute  his 
gracious  commands — delay  will  only  increase  impatience. — 
Those,  however,  who  have  long  lived  upon  agitation,  already, 
too  clearly  see  their  danger;  and  with  surprising  alacrity,  they 
are  now  taking  every  possible  measure  to  prevent  mo  from 
rooting  up  the  tree  of  abuse,  because  they  have  built  and  fea- 
thered their  nests  in  its  branches.  They  asked,  however,  for 
i!ic  operation,  and  to  amputation  thoy  must  very  shortly^ sub- 
mit; for  *'what's  worth  doing  should  always  be  done  wel'l.^' 

I  have  come  here  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  reform,  but  I 
am  not  an  agitator;  and,  by  command  of  our  gracious  Sover- 
eign, I  will  maintain  the  constitutional  liberties  of  his  sujects 
in  this  Province,  and  at  the  same  lime  encourage,  to  the  ut- 
most of  my  power,  internal  wealth,  agriculture,  commerce, 
peace  and  tranquility. 

With  respect  to  my  late  Council,  1  regret,  quite  as  much  as 
you  can  do,   their  resignation;  but,  before  they  took  the  oath 


•4 


1 

■  I  , 
1  , 

1  : 

I   i* 


J. 


m 
m 

i  1 


m  : 


1 


A 


hi'  I 


ik; 


MEMOItlALH,    liC. 


of  secrecy,  (which  appears  lo  my  judgineiif,  to  ho  un  onth  of 
non-rcspoiisihilily  to  ihu  people,)  1  addressed  to  them  u  note 
which  clearly  rorewuriied  them,  as  follows: — **1  shall  ly  on 
your  giving  mo  your  unhiused  opiuiou  on  all  subjects  respect- 
ing which  I  may  foel  it  advi:sahle  to  require  it." 

Three  weeks  after  they  had  joined  iIk  (>ouncil,  they  alto* 
gethor,  in  a  body,  disputed  this  arrangement;  and  accordingly 
wo  parted  on  a  matter  oi'  dry  law. 

No  on(!  can  deny  that  my  view  of  ihf^^  subject  agree.-,  with 
the  practice  of  Col.  Simcoe,  and  of  all  tiiL  succeeding  Gover- 
nors of  this  Province,  dijwn  to  the  day  of  Sir  John  Colbor/io's 
departure;  but  that  is  no  proof  whatever  that  the  practice  has 
l)ecn  right, — and,  if  you  would  prefer  to  form  your  (jwn  opin- 
ion of  the  law,  read  the  Constitutional  act. 

With  respeirt  lo  my  new  Council,  whose  liigh  mora!  charac- 
ter I  cannot  but  respect,  I  shall  consult  them  as  unreservedly 
as  I  had  proinised  to  consult  ihosc  who  have  just  resigned;  and 
if  any  coinpele'nt  tribunal  shall  pronoiuice  that  they  are  n- 
sponsible  for  my  conduct,  no  one  will  be  a  greater  gainer  ihaii 
myself  by  the  decision. 

In  the  irieanwhile  I  shall  deal  openly  and  mildly  with  all 
parties;  and  1  tiust  that  1  can  give  )ou  no  better  [iroof  of  my 
own  intention  to  be  governed  by  reason,  than  the  e.\plaiiatiyu 
1  have  just  oflered  lo  yourselves,  ihe  citizens  and  industrious 
classes  who  attended  the  Toionto  meeting. 

True  Copy.  J.  JOSEPH,  Scc'y. 

REJOINDER. 

May  it  please  youu   Exoeli.kncy — 

We  thank  your  Excellency  for  replying  to  our  Address 
"principally  from   ihc  industrious  classes  of  the  City,'^  wilii  as 
niuch    attenlion    as  if  it  had   proceeded  from  eillier  branches  of 
the  Legislature,  and  we  are  deeply  sensible,   in  receiving yuur 
Excellency's  re[)ly,  of  your  Excellency's  great  condescension, 
in  endeavoring  lo  express  yourself  in  plainer  and  more  honiely 
language,    presumed    by  your  Excellency  to   be  thereby  lo  be 
brought  down  to  the  lower  level  of  our  plainer  and  more  home- 
ly understandings.     But  we  beg  leave,   in  justification  of  those 
classes,  to  assure  your  .Excellency  that  any  comparison  which 
may  have    jjassed  in    your  Excellency's  mind   between    thciii, 
and  the    more  unfortunate  and   less  favored,   in  the  perishes  ot 
the  parent  state,  is  by  no  means  founded  in  truth.     T!ie  indus- 
trious classes  of  this  city  have,   for  many  years,  been  serious- 


L'.)verutneni 


A 


oath  of 
u  note 

•ly  oil 

t-y  alto- 
I'dingly 

c'n    with 
Govei- 


:tiCL'  has 
'n  opiii 


with  nil 
of  of  iiiy 
[daiiati'ju 
dustrioiis 

I,  Scc'y. 


Address 
''  with  as 
inches  oi' 
/ingyuLir 
jcensiun, 
3  homely 
ihy  to  bu 
ru  lionie- 
1  of  those 
Dn  \vliich 
in  the  111, 
rishes  of 
'le  indus- 
,  serious* 


MEMOHIALS,  &C. 


117 


ly  impressed  with  tijo  duty  und  im[)ortancc  of  ncqiiiring  know" 
lodg'N  lor  iho  general  ditliision  ot*  whicij,  they  Ijavo  hy  llioir 
own  ellorts,  and  at  thdr  own  expen.MO,  (witli  the  aid  o!"  gcnu- 
roiis  and  |)a*riotic  friendw.)  so  far  succi'ssfally  hihorod,  us  to 
bu  able  to  appreciate  g(x)d  writing  and  fair  reasoning. 

We  di-'sire    rcspcelfully  to   inform    your    ICxcelltincy,  in  the 

plain  and  homely  languago  of  industrious  in(Mi,   tliat  any  sup- 

j)Osed  necessity  fur  this  great  condoscensif)n  of  your  I'iXcellen- 

cy,  comM  not   liavo    existed,  in  any  degree,    had  not    past  ad- 

_  miiiirjtrations   sadly    neglected    our  claims  to    iho    hlcssings  of 

bonH's  ■  j.piicral    education.      Lest  vour    Tlxcellency  should    doubt  our 

[ifficient  apprcluMision  of  iho    inatter  (though  we   have  practi- 

o.iHy  full  and   sulK.-rod    from  the  evil,)   wo    l:umbly  rofer  your 

1'A'celleney  to  Iho   language  of  our  Ijonest  anii  honotod  rej)re- 


Milativcs,  at  the  op(;ning  of  the  present   session  of  our  I'arlia- 
t — ''W'ci    have  also  been  anxious,   in    past   years,  to  make 


men 


charac- 
scrvedly 

iumI;  and  |  ,;,,.  njcans  of  education  general  and  easily  a,'ai!abl(.';   but  it  has 

are  re 
ner  than 


)iily  lately  become  luiown  to  the  Legislature,  that  a  bountiful 
provision  in  lands  was  made  by  the  Crown  about  40  years  ago, 
though   sincu  deteriorated,  by  a  recent  secret  unlavorablo  ex- 


cliaiiue  ibr  inferior  lands.      Tijf  University  of  Kind's  C'olle 


S^ 


was  grounded  on  Royal  Charter,  sought  for  and  granted  in 
ISiU,  upon  principles,  so  exclusive  and  sectarian,  as  to  render 
itdoservedly  unacceptable  to  the  great  body  of  the  peo[)le,  for 
whose  benelit  it  was,  professedly,  intended  ;  and  altiiough  the 
most  reasonabhj  modiHcations  were  suggested  by  a  series  of 
rosokitious  in  16'21),  yet  it  is  now,  for  the  tirst  tifne,  that  youi* 
Excellency  has  been  enabled   to  announce,  iVom  hid  Majesty's 


avt 


rntnent,  any  spcciHc  proposition  respectini 


It.    N 


or  ought 


wo  fail  lo  notice,  that  large  appropriations  have  been  made  out 
(n[\\(i  University  Fund,  not  to  the  district  and  tov.-nshii)  schooh, 


un 


deservedly  neg'ectcd,  but  to  sustain  Upper  Canada  (^jllege 
i:i  this  City,  in  which  the  sons  of  all  the  wealthiest  families  arc 
educated,  and  which  ought,  therefore,  to  be  supported,  without 
soquustionable  an  encroachment  on  public  fund. 

To  this  statement  we  can  add,  the  untiring  etforts  of  our  re- 
presentatives for  the  sale  of  the  Clergy  ileserves  and  the  ap- 
pi'opritition  of  their  proceeds  to  the  purj)Oses  ol'  general  educu- 
have  hitherto  proved   unavailing — and,  although    a  philo- 

phical  npparjitus  purchased  out  of  the  taxes  gathered  from 
die  people,  in  the  year  1800,  has  ever  since,  been  unused, 
mouldering    and  decaying  in  the  garret  of  the  Hospital;  yet 


tlOll, 


80 


•4 


■<i 


V. 


i  I 


i  1 


i-  -t'' 


B 


il. 


','••' 


lit'' 


'I  ■ 


hi:    ;    .> 


Ji  IB 


118 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


wlien  ihe  industrious  classes,  after  cleaning  and  repairing  it, 
humbly  solicited  his  late  Excellency,  Sir  John  Colborne,  for 
the  use  of  it,  in  their  institute,  it  was  peremptorily  refused. 

AVe,  therefore,  humbly  pray  your  E.xcelleney,  under  those 
mortifying  and  humiliating  circumstances  to  accept  the  above 
painful  facts,  and  extracts  from  the  records  of  our  Parliament, 
as  an  apology  for  any  alledged  necessity  for  your  Excellency's 
gracious  condescension,  in  using  plainer  and  n:ore  homely  lan- 
guage, for  the  level  of  our  undeistnndings. 

But  it  is  because  we  have  been  thus  mal-treated,  neglected, 
and  despised  in  our  education  and  interests  under  the  svstiiiii 
of  government  which  has,  heretofore,  prevailed,  thnt  \vc  are 
now  driven  to  insist  upon  a  change  which  cannot  be  for  the 
worse.  In  the  further  language  of  our  Commors'  House  of 
Assembly,  we  can  aver  that  '*  the  uniform  experience  of  nearly 
half  a  century  has  forced  the  conviction,  contirmed  by  the  his- 
tory of  nations,  that  no  richness  of  soil,  or  salubrity  of  climate, 
no  wealth  in  public  lands,  or  industry  and  economy  among  a 
deserving  people,  can  insure  their  peace,  welfare,  and  prosper- 
ity without  the  posjjcssion  ol'  those  suitable  institutions  whicli 
will  yield  cheap,  honest,  and  responsible  goveriiment." 

Now,  your  Excellency  is  pleased  to  answer  us,  on  this  oc- 
casion, by  declaring,  that  the  system  of  government  which  has 
prevailed  from  the  time  of  Simcoe,  is  the  best  for  us,  although 
it  has,  by  its  vices,  reduced  us  to  so  deplorable  a  condition  of 
grievances,  that  even  your  Excellency  recognises  il,  this  day. 
in  the  following  just  and  sententious  language  to  us — 

"The  grievances  of  this  Province  must  be  corrected;  impar- 
tial justice  must  be  adnnnistered;  the  people  have  asked  for  il; 
their  Sovereign  has  ordained  it;  and  I  am  here  to  execute  his 
gracious  commands;  delay  will  only  increase  impatience." 

Thus  is  the  exigency  of  our  alTairs  frankly  admitted  by  your 
Excellency^  in  both  the  Civil  and  Judicial  Departments;  and 
surely  it  is  the  province  of  wisdom,  not  merely  to  relieve  the 
present  exigency  but  to  remove  the  causes  which  have  produc- 
ed it,  in  the  past,  and  will,  if  suiFered  to  continue,  re-producc 
it  in  the  future;  for  the  like  causes  will  ever  produce  the  like 
effects.  However  much,  therefore,  we  might  command  tlie  at- 
tention of  your  Excellency  to  see  that  "the  grievances  of  this 
Provinc;.i"  are  redressed,  and  "impartial  justice  administered, ' 
we  are  determined,  by  means  of  institutions  better  organised 
and  directed,  to  prevent  the  recurrence  of  such  wrongs;  be* 


cause  it  is 
of  it,  after 

Your  E; 
^^c.     Bnt 
lory  of   th 
however,  r 
admin  istra 
been  equa 
forth  expe 
but  each,  I 
redressed, 
very  fact, 
cessors,  u 
would  be 
were  loss 
er  succeed 
cessivc   G 
obliges  us 
period  of 
deploral)Ie 
iiHtitution? 

While  c 
successio 


1 


respoasibl 
and  ho  in 
responsihi 
with  all  y< 
sent  govei 
degree;  it 
to  the  sac 
by  such  a 
age,  as  to 
of  which 
sibility. 

Dalhou 
hnd,  and 
verned  th 
impenche 
their  ver' 
them  to  I 
verally  n 
lairs,  un 
they  had 


pairing  it, 
I  borne,  for 
e  fusee], 
nder  those 
tlie  above 
arliamont, 
ccellency's 
umely  Ian- 

neglected, 
tlie  svstciiii 
itit   \vc  are 
be  for  the 
House  o\ 
e  of  nearly 
by  the  iiis- 
of  cljmutc, 
ly  among  w 
k1  pros  por- 
tions which 
It.'' 

on  this  oc- 
l  wiiich  has 
IS,  although 
condition  of 
1,    this  day, 

tod;  impar- 
.sked  for  it; 
execute  his 
tience." 
ted  by  your 
:nncnts;  and 

relieve  tlie 
ive  produc- 

re-producc 
ice  the  hlvC 
nand  tlie  ut- 
nces  of  this 
ninistered,"' 
r  organised 
vrongs;  be» 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


119 


cause  It  is  wiser  to  prevent  evil,  than  to  hazard  the  correction 
of  it,  after  it  has  arisen,  or  has  perhaps,  become  inveterate. 

Your  Excellency  is  pleased  to  say,  "1  am  here  to  execute," 
S^c.  But  your  Excellency's  predecessors  throughout  the  his- 
tory of  this  country  have  made  similar  professions  yielding 
however,  nothing  but  bitter  disappointment.  The  issue  of  the 
lulniinistration  of  a  Gore,  a  Maitland,  and  a  Colborne,  has 
been  equally  disastrous;  each,  in  its  commencement,  holding 
forth  expectations  as  flattering  as  those  from  your  Excellency; 
but  each,  finally,  aggravating  our  need  for  "grievances  to  ho 
redressed,  and  impartial  justice  to  bo  administered."  But  the 
very  ff^ct,  that  your  Excellency  has  begun,  like  your  prede- 
cessors, is  a  reason  for  apprehending  the  same  result;  for  it 
would  be  olFensive  to  your  Excellency  to  assume  that  they 
were  less  wise,  impartial,  and  honorable  than  any  vvho  may  ev- 
er succeed  them.  The  hopes  of  amelioration  from  each  suc- 
cessive Governor  have  been  uniformlv  delusive;  and  candor 
obliges  us  to  assure  your  Excollencp,  that  even  in  this  early 
])fi!'iod  of  you:'  g(jvernment,  our  condition  has  become  more 
(JL'plorable  than  ever,  and  the  very  nature  andstabtlity  of  our 
institutions  involved  in  alarming  uncertainty. 

While  our  condition  has  been  thus  growing  worse,  under  a 
succession  of  new  Governors  t'rom  England,  they  having  been 
responsible  to  the  Minister  in  Downing  Street.  With  our  plain 
and  houK^ly  understandings,  we  cannot  comprehend  how  <i 
responsibility  to  Downing  Street,  having  failt^J  of  any  good, 
with  all  your  predecessors,  should  bo  ail  availing  in  your  pre- 
sent government;  for  it  is  the  same  responsibility  in  nature  and 
degree;  it  is  regulated  by  the  same  instructions;  it  is  rendered 
to  the  same  distant  government,  4,000  miles  off,  and  pjuaided 
by  such  a  system  of  secret  despatches,  like  a  system  of  espion- 
age, as  to  keep  in  utter  darkness  the  very  guilt,  the  disclosure 
of  which  could,  alone,  consummate  real  and  practical  respon- 
sibility. 

Dalhousie  and  Aylmer,  in  Lower  Canada,  and  Gore,  Mait- 
hnd,  and  Colborne  in  Upper  Canada,  have,  severally,  misgo- 
verned their  respective  Provinces.  The  two  former  have  been 
impeached  by  the  people,  through  their  representatives,  and 
their  very  crimes,  instead  of  meeting  punishment,  have  raised 
them  to  higher  honors.  And  although  the  three  latter  have  se- 
verally retired  from  our  country,  after  misconducting  our  af. 
fairs,  under  a  nominal  responsibility  lo  Downing  Street,  till 
they  had  engendered  an  imperious  necessity  **for  the  correction 


4 


iii. 


*f 


s\ 


% 


fh 


i 

t 


m 


\ 


It 


ir 


(;■     ( 


•M 


i     ! 


1       ■■ 

ft     1. 


I'-i  ■ 


if'-:    ; 
li?;;:  ; 


i1  'h 


I'^'i 


ifil^ 


!!:■: 


120 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


of  our  grievances  and  the  inriparlial  administration  of  justice," 
yet  in  every  case,  they  have  been  promoted  hi^iior,  in  direct 
proportion  to  the  comphiints  of  the  people,  without  any  redress 
for  their  wrongs,  or  even  censure  of  their  oppressions.  VVc  do 
not  mean,  in  our  plain  and  iiomely  statement,  to  he  discour- 
teous  by  declaring  our  unalterable  conviction,  that  a  nominal 
responsibility  to  Downing  Street,  which  has  failed  of  any  good 
with  tlie  above  gentlemen  of  high  pretensions  to  honor,  clmrnc 
ter  and  station,  cannot  have  any  magic  operation  in  your  Ex- 
cellency's administration,  which  should  it  end,  as  it  has,  un- 
happily, begun,  might  make  us  drink  the  cup  of  national  mi?- 
government  to  the  very  dregs  without  (as  experience  proves' 
redress  on  our  part,  or  retribution  on  yours.  "Facts  are  sUib- 
born  things.  It  is  a  mockery  to  invite  u^  to  rest  our  futur^^ 
hopes  on  an  ineffectual,  merely  nominal  responsibiiily,  that  has 
proved  a  broken  reed,  which  it  would  be  tolly,  ever  again  to 
rest  upon. 

Your  Excellency  has  been  pleased  sol(>mnly  and  jiuhliclylo 
declare,  that  being  dwtermined  to  hold  an  irresponsible,  or  more 
strictly  speaking,  air  acceptable  Executive  Council,  you  holJ 
yourself  responsible  for  their  acts,  as  well  as  your  own;  and 
considering  the  sort  of  Council  you  have  about  you,  W(>  cannot 
foresee  the  mngnilude  to  which  your  Excel!cnc\  "s  responsibil- 
ity may  extend.  On  your  Excellency's  account,  therefore,  ps 
well  as  our  own,  we  do  humbly  and  heartily  desire  to  see  yon 
surrounded  by  confidential  servants,  not  likcdy  to  involve  yo'j:' 
Excellcmcy  or  dissatisfy  t!ie  country.  We  do  not,  however, 
understand  how  tlie  Council  can  be  called  "non-respectable,"' 
when  your  Excellency  voluntarily  places  yourself  as  a  substi- 
tute, answerable  for  their  misdeeds  to  the  Minister  in  Downing 
Street.  But  who  can  avail  himself  of  this  responsibility,  in  or- 
der to  seek  any  redress?  Can  ..  be  reasonably  required,  that 
one  of  a  community  "whose  whole  revenue  does  not  equal  th'^ 
private  fortune  of  many  an  English  connnoner,/' shall  carry 
ids  complaint  4,000  miles  of}*  transmit  the  evidence,  rebut  nny 
unjust  defence,  fee  lawyers  and  agents;  in  a  long,  tedious,  pro- 
tracted litigation  in  Downing  Street,  worse  than  a  suit  in  chan- 
cery, where,  before  the  m!)tt(!r  can  be  investigated,  one  min- 
ister succeeds  another   so  rapidly  as  to  defy  continuous  inqui- 

Thia  responsibility  to  Downing  Street  has  never  yet  saved 
a  single  martyr  to   Executive   displeasure.     Robert    Gourloy 


'(.: 


_?■'■■■? 


MEMOUIALS,    &C. 


121 


still  lives  in  public  sympathy,  ruined  in  his  fortune,  and  over- 
whelmed in  his  mind,  by  ofticial  injustice  and  persecution;  and 
the  late  Cupt.  Matthews,  a  raithlul  servant  of  the  public,  bro- 
ken down  in  spirit,  narrowly  escaped  being  another  victim. — 
The  learned  Mr.  Justice  Willis,  struggled  in  vain  to  vindicate 
himseir  and  the  wounded  justice  of  the  country;  and  the  ashes 
of  Francis  Collins  and  Robert  Ra.idaH  lie  entombed  in  a  coun- 
try in  whose  service  they  suffered  heart-rending  persecution 
;ind  accelerated  death.  And  even  your  Excellency  has  disclos- 
ed a  secret  despatch  to  the  Minister  in  Downing  Street,  (the 
verv  alleged  tribunal  for  justice,)  containing  a  most  libellous 
matter  ngainst  U^rn.  Lyon  M'Kenzio,  Esq.  M.  P.  P.;  a  gen- 
tleman known  chiefly  for  his  untiring  services  to  his  adopted 
and  grateful  country.  We  will  not  wait  for  Ihe  immolation  of 
any  others  of  our  public  men,  sacrificed  to  a  nominal  respon- 
sibility, which  we  blush  to  have  so  long  endured  fertile  ruin 
of  so  many  of  his  Majesty's  dutiful  and  loyal  subjects. 

Itiseasy  to  say  when  wrong  is  done  by  the  Executive Counc. I 
of  the  Province,  to  any  individual  or  infiividuals,  the  Governr'r 
is  responsible  for  lh<3m  to  the  Minister  at  Downina:  Street;  but 
for  all  practi<;al  ends,  it  might  as  well  he  said,  at  our  antipodo.-. 
Your  Excolleiicv  asks  us,  with  reference  to  your  h\te  Counci!, 
•vis  it  usual  I'or  one  person  to  insist  on  bearing  another  person's 
biain(3l"'  It  seeins,  may  it  picnsu  your  Excellency,  to  have 
hcen  usual  to  do  so,  for  you  insist  upon  being  answerable  for 
ihe  acts  of  your  Council,  against  their  will.  But  inasmuch  as 
it  appears  to  your  Excellency,  as  well  as  to  our  plain  and  simple 
minds,  unreasonable  for  one  man  to  insist  on  bearing  another 
pi.'i'Sijn's  blame,"  we  the  more  earnestly  insist  that  the  Execu- 
live  Council  should  bear  their  own  blame,  and  not  saddle  it  up- 
on your  Excellency,  however  graciously  disposed  your  Excel- 
lency may  be  to  assume  it. 

Your  Excellency  is  pleasod  to  say,  that,  the  political  party 
which  demands  responsibility  for  my  Council,  know  perfectly 
well,  that  the  power  and  patronage?  of  the  Crown  are  attached 
lo  it,  and  it  is  too  evident  that  if  they  coulrl  but  obtain  this  mar- 
I'ow,  the  empty  bone  of  contention,  namely,  responsibility  If* 
l!io  people  they  would  soon  he  too  happy  to  throw  away."  Re- 
If^pecting  these  strictures  of  your  Excellency  on  the  purity  of 
ilieir  njotives  (which  we  deem  most  patriotic  and  honorable.) 
we  forbear  to  offer  any  remark.  "Charity  thinking  no  evil." 
^'^U  confining  our  views  to  what  can  be  gathered  from  the  ro- 
ll 


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122 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


presentations  of  your  late  Council,  we  had  ratiier  that  the  pow- 
er and  patronage  of  the  Crcwn  were  exercised  by  your  Excel- 
lencyt  after  receiving  the  conscientious  advice  of  your  swom 
advisers,  known  and  acceptable  to  the  people,  than  your  E\, 
cellency's  unadvised  and  arbitrary  pleasure;  and  we  think  ilij 
case  rendered  even  worse,  by  the  interference  of  a  ministor 
4000  miles  olF,  too  distant  from  the  scene  of  government,  an] 
too  unacquainted  with  our  complicated  localities  lo  form  a  judg- 
ment u[jon  which  he  ought  to  decree,  or  with  which  the  pc  pie 
interested  ought  to  be  satisfied.  What  your^lvxcellency  is  pious. 
ed  to  call  tlie  '-marrow  of  flie  bone,'Ms  coiistitutionaily  iMteiii. 
ed  to  nourish,  enrich  and  benefit  the  "industrious  classes"  and 
the  whole  community;  and  your  Excellency's  candor,  will  nn 
doubt  pardon  our  reluctance  wliolly  to  confide  (without  tluj  uj. 
vice  of  your  Council)  to  your  Excellency  as  'm  stranger  laie- 
ly  arrived  among  us,  ignorant  even  of  the  j)'^ditical  ditlorcnces 
of  ihe  parent  state,  and  avowedly  unacquainted  with  the  waiil. 
and  condition  of  this  Province.'' 

We  b-'g  leave  to  assure  your  Excellency,  that  the  "bono"  to 
which  your  Excellency  alludes,  has  been  in  the  kec[)ing(i' 
successive  Governors  responsible  to  the  Minister  in  Downiii:^ 
Street;  and  at  one  time  it  abounded  with  ♦Mnarrow,'"'  and  wiu 
even  the  nucleus  for  much  solid  and  valuable  nutriment,  all  in- 
tended to  form  a  source  of  national  wealth  to  be  improvu!, 
husbanded  and  applied  for  our  peace,  welf;ireand  good  govein- 
ment.  It  is  with  profound,  and  we  greatly  fear  with  unavaiiini;' 
regret,  we  inform  your  Excellency  that  while  subject  tu  V.x 
above  custody  and  responsibility,  the  "bono"  had  been  peeked 
so  bare  as  to  leave  little  of  the  "marrow''  behind. 

Under  these  circumstances  we  hone  your  Excellency  will 
commend  the  *industrious  classes,'  and  others  for  so  fir  learn- 
ing  wisdom  from  woful  experience,  as  no  longer  to  confide  their 
best  present  and  future  interests,  their  civil  and  religicjs  lilier- 
ties,  and  all  that  endears  a  man  to  his  country  or  to  the  woiM, 
to  a  succession  of  Governors,  nominally  responsible  at  Down- 
ing Street,  to  a  succession  of  ever  changing  iMinisters.  It  i-; 
unreasonable  to  expect  it;  we  should  betray  our  c  )untry  i') 
consent  to  it. 

We  cannot  altogetlier  agree  with  your  Excellency  that  "liio 
only  consolation  which  should  support  an  honest  man  in  an  ar- 
duous duty  is  the  reflection  that  lie  is  ready  to  alo-se  for  every 
error  he  commits,  and  that  he  is  subject  to  arraignment  if  lie 
offends."     The   highwayman  and  the   pirate    might  and  often 


MEMORIALS,    &C. 


123 


have  pleaded  the  same;  have  even  been  ready  to  make  atone- 
ment i)y  restitution,  and  after  *  arraignment'  expiated  their 
crimes  according  to  law.  But  a  St.'ilesin.'in,  a  Governor,  or  a 
King,  is  j)re.sunicd  to  bo  influenced  by  higber  molives  and  moro 
exulted  principles  The  discliargn  of  cv(3n  an  arduous  dufy, 
cannot,  and  ought  not,  to  be  satisfactory  to  us,  if  performed  in 
nnunconstitutional  way.  in  some  countries  the  end  gained, 
howi.'ver  valuable,  might  bo  so  laintcd  by  the  means,  as  to  make 
it  treason.  We  desire,  not  only  to  bo  governed  well,  but  to 
!;o  governed  constitutionally;  at  the  very  least,  according  to 
tliu  present  charter  of  our  liberties.  The  fear  of  personal  lia- 
bility to  'atonement'  or  'arraignment'  is  a  very  subordinate  pro- 
tection against  the  abuse  of  power,  when  the  complaint  Is  made 
mrainst  a  ])erson  entrenched  in  autliority,  and  armed  with  pat- 
luii.igc;  vvhoKo  very  breath  confers  infUiJiice  and  office,  or  takes 
tiiein  away;  whose  liability  is  to  the  very  Minister  who  is  his 
pitron,  and  is  naturally  disposed  to  vi.-.iw  even  his  aberrations 
with  a  favorable  and  excusing  eye.  On  that  account,  among 
others,  we  desire,  in  our  governmcnf,  some  higher  security 
\  than  a  disposition  to  atone,  or  a  liability  to  arraignment,  in  its 
nature  and  circimist mces,  almost  impracticable  and  almost 
iihvays  unsuccessful. 

it  is  on  this  account,  may  it  please  your  Excellency,  we  de- 
fIi'c  to  see  every  Governor  surrounded  by  confidential  advisers; 
who,  from  their  locaf  knowledge,  can  suj)ply  with  sworn  advice 
as  the  Hurest  means  of  preventing  error  or  the  humiliating  ne- 
cessity of  'atonement'  or  'arraignment'  for  it.  According  to 
Holy  Writ  "in  a  multitude  of  councillors  there  is  safety;"  it 
is,  therefore,  natural  for  us,  rather  to  wish  to  sec  the  manage- 
ment of  our  affairs,  by  your  Excellency,  with  the  aid  of  an  ac- 
ceptable Council,  than  by  your  Excellency  alone.  Your  Ex- 
cellency must  take  advice,  upon  assuming  a  new  government, 
in  a  country  in  which  you  are  a  stranger;  and  it  has  been,  to 
us,  a  source  of  painful  mortification  and  disappointment  to  find 
that  your  Excellency  wms  consulting  irresponsible  individuals, 
neither  possessing,  nor  entitled  to  political  confidence,  even  to 
the  humiliating  exclusion  of  your  sworn  advisers,  provided  by 
law  and  selected  by  yourself.  Hence  it  is  that  there  has  been 
scarcely  a  single  act  of  your  administration  satisfactory  to  the 
community  your  Excellency  perhaps  intended  to  serve. 

It  is  against  ourselves  and  our  friends  engaged  in  the  com- 
mon cause  of  constitutional  government,  that  your  Excellency 
seirns  to  direct  the  charge  of  preventing  your  "tooting  up  the 


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124 


MEMORIALS,    &C, 


troo  of  abuse  because  they  Iiave  built  and  feathered  their  nc8(«] 
in  its  branches."  In  tius  ♦tree'  many  indeed  have  *built  nnj 
feathered  their  nests;'  but  heietotore  Ueformora  have  never 
been  allowed  even  to  porch  upon  its  branches,  repose  in  its 
shade,  or  partake  of  its  t'ruit.  The  ultra-tories,  who  have  uii. 
happily  held  your  Excellency's  ear  and  confidence,  have  en- 
joyed a  complete  monopoly;  and  it  is  an  historical  fact,  tha: 
our  Governors,  among  the  rest,  have  *built  and  feathered  their 
nests,'  and  then  carried  their  accumulated  wealth,  with  ihum. 
selves,  out  of  the  country.  Wo  trust  your  Excellency  will  feel 
on  this  subject  how  unjust  it  is  that  a  community  (as  your  Ex.  ob 
serves)  whose  public  revenues  do  not  exceed  the  incoine  of 
many  a  commoner  in  England,  should  be  calied  upon  to  pav 
for  the  administration  of  even  an  irresponsible  govermneiir,  w 
sum  almost  equal  to  that  received  by  the  President  of  the  Uni- 
[fc'd  Stales,  with  a  trjinseendaiit  wealth  and  power  that  put  our 
comparative  condition  to  shame. 

We  are  surprised  at  the  information  your  Excellency  givcv) 
us,  that  the  Executive  Council  of  the  Provii.cc  is  "  sworn  to  bo 
dumb;"  for  wo  aUvays  thouglii  they  were  sworn  to  advise  the 
'\ing  and  his  Representative  upon  our  aflairs.  Supposing;  yoiii' 
Excellency  were  so  far  to  unseal  their  mouths  as  freely  to  re- 
ceive! their,  advice,  v>o  see  no  diflicultv  in  its  heinfj  eivon  se- 
erctly,  yet  responsibly.  In  England,  [Ministers  give  their  ad- 
vice, under  an  oath  of  secrecy,  and  are  still  responsible.— 
There  can  be,  therefore,  no  greater  inconsistency  in  such  a 
relation  subsisting  between  your  Excellency  and  your  Council. 
Actions  often  indicate  more  strikiii<j,ly  than  words;  and  altliu* 
your  Councillors  cannot  reveal  what  they  say,  the  whole 
country  can  see  what  is  done.  We  care  not  how  dumb  tlicv 
are  out  of  the  Council,  if  their  mouths  are  not  sealed  in  it,  aii'l 
the  Province  is  allowed  to  feel  and  enjoy  the  manifest  fruits  oi' 
their  counsel,  without  knowing  what  it  was.  The  Council 
should  be  responsible  for  giving  good  advice,  while  your  Ex- 
cellency would  retain  enough  of  responsibility  by  deciding  up- 
on it.  We  should  not  tlie  better  esteem  a  judge  who  refused 
to  listen  to  an  argument  before  he  gave  a  judgment;  or  a  jury 
who  sealed  their  ears  against  the  charge  of  a  judge,  in  order 
to  manifest  their  self  sufficiency  in  giving  a  verdict.  The  judge 
oondessends  to  hear  the  argument  of  a  counsel;  the  jury  listens 
to  a  judge's  charge,  and  your  Excellency  should,  it  seems  to 
our  "plain  and  homely"  minds,  listen  on  all  subjects,  to  tho 
conscientious  advice  of  the  sworn  advisers,  selected  by  your* 
self,  for  their  "talents  and  integrity." 


MI^MORIALS,    &C. 


125 


Wc  liavc  carefully  rend,  as  your  Excellency  recomrnrndcrl, 
ihe  OonsiitiUioual  act,  and,  altliougli  your  Excellency.nssurcs 
us,  thai    by  it  *'a  House  of  As.senibly  and   Legislative  Council 
1,11(1  a   Lieut.  Governor   are    appointed,   but  tliat   it    creates  no 
i'Acculive  Council,"  yet  wo  rea(J  so  clearly,   in  ihrvji  sen-oral 
],l;ici's,    almost  tlii;    very   same    coniprehensivo    W(jrds,   viz: — 
•  •Wil!)  the  consent  of  such   Executive  Council   as  shall  be  ap- 
j>{)iii!cd  by  his  JMiijcsty,  his   heirs  and  successors,  within  such 
i'rovnc  e,  for  the  alFairs  thereof,''   that  wo  must   b(diovfi   some 
evil  and  irresponsible  advisers  have  put  into  your  I^xcellency's 
JKUids  a  mutilated  copy   of  our  Constitution.      We  cannot  rec- 
(,;icile  your  present   declaration  with  your  reply  to  your  laic 
JlxeciUivo  Council,  in  which  your  Excellency  distinctly  admits, 
iliiit  tlic  most  liberal  construction,   which  can   pot-sibiy   be  put 
upon  ihat  act  amounts  to  this;   "that  as  an  Executive  Council 
was   evidently    intended   to  exist,    the  remnant  of  the  old  one 
oii^ht  not  to  be  deemed  tot;illy  extinct,  until  its  successor  was 
nj)|)oiiited.      However   this   latent    intention  of   Ids    Majesty  to 
create  a   Council  for   each  of  the  Provinces  of  his   Canadian 
liomiiiions,  was  soon  cif;arly  divulged  in  a  most  in^portant  doc- 
iitncnt,  commonly  called  the  'King's  Instructions,'   in   which 
liio  Executive  Council  was  regularly  constituted  and   declared 
!is  follows:   *'\Vhcreas  we  have  thought  fit,  that  there  should 
be  an  Executive  Council  for  assisting  you,  or  the  Lieut.  Gov- 
ernor or    person    admiiM'stering    the    government  of   the    said 
Province  of  Upper  Canada,"    *     *     *     "and  to  the  end  that 
our  said  Executive  Council  may  bo  assisting  you  in  all  aflairs 
lolnling  to  our  service,   you  are  to  communicate  to  ihem,  so 
rnanv    of  our  instructions,   wherein  iheir  advice*  is  mentioned 
to  bo  requisite,  and  likewise  all  such  others,  from  time  to  time, 
ns  you  siiall  find  convenient  for  our  service  to  be   imparted  to 
them." 

It  is  therefore  as  plain  as  law  can  be  written,  that  the  Con- 
stitutional act  provided  for  the  appointment,  by  his  Majesty,  of 
an  Executive  Council,  and  that  the  King  has,  accordingly, 
created  sucli  a  Council  *'to  the  end  that  they  might  be  assisting 
to  your  Excellency  in  all  aflairs  relrting  to  iiis  Majesty's  ser- 
vice." This  council  so  organized,  is  now  as  much  a  part  of 
our  constitution,  as  the  great  council  of  Parliament.  The  law 
f>llo\vs  the  people  to  elect  the  House  of  Assennbly,  and  gives 
the  King  the  power  of  summoning  whom  he  pleases  to  the  Le- 
gislative and  Executive  Councils;  all  are  alike  created  or  pro- 
vided for  by  this  act,  though  it  does  not  specify  by  nantie,  the 
particular  individuals  to  constitute  either  of  them. 

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Memorials,  IC. 


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Wo   welcome   the  concession  of  your   Excellency,  to  liic 
merit  of  the  nhic  and  enlightened  SIMCOE,  to  whose  memory 
we  would  cheerfully  erect  a  monument.      We  never  said  ilm- 
that  justly    revered   representative  of  the   King   either  did  < 
could  alter  tiie  law.      lUit  wo  still   think,  that  an   ablu  and  ( ;, 
lightened  man,  who  assisted  in  passing  the  law,   amidst  all  ti,. 
debritc'ii  upon  it,  and  who  was  first  commissiom^d  to  put  it  ii,;i. 
operation,  was,  of   all    men,  best  quid i lied    to  explain  that  Inv. 
and  its  intended  seoj)e    and  applicaiion.     SiM(X)i;,  with  <'dl  1,: 
pcrsonul  knowledg(!  about  the  law  and  law  givers,  declared  llir- 
it  wfTs  intended  to  give   ns,    not  a    mutilated   (J(-n>li'ution,  1 
one  "Tm:   vi:uy  iimaok  A.\n  'j'j'AN!':cinrT  of  tuat  of   (ir.KA; 
}3ritain;''  your  Excellency,   on   the  eijnlrary,  alter  the  lap- 
of  nearly  half  a  century,  asserts,  that  neither  the  law  nor  tii; 
law  givers,  of  whom  Simcoe  v>as  one,  ever  gave  or  intoudiNi 
to  give  what  Simeoe,  in   the  name    of  the  King,    solemnly  ii;- 
nounecfj  frons  the  Throne. 

In  England,  our  folhjw-subjccts  have  a  King,  with  bis  jy,:\- 
GCutive  (,'ouncil,  (conmionly  called  his  Privy  Council,)  a  IIoum; 
of  Lords  and  a  iioiise  of  Commons:  in  this  country  we  IjiUl 
corresponding  institutions,  viz:  a  representative  of  the  Kiiir. 
with  an  Executive  Council,  a  Legislative  Council  and  a  Ilouhc 
of  Assembly.  We  only  ask  that  these  institutions  should  lie 
j)Ut  into  f>peration  in  a  manner  corresponding  to  what  is  prac- 
ticed in  England,  and  conseq^jently  that  the  Executive  Coui- 
cif,  under  oath,  should  as  full}'  and  freely  advise  your  Excil- 
lency  on  alFairs  here,  as  the  Privy  Council,  under  oath,  advi.^c 
his  most  gracious  Majesty.  This  is  what  the  Constitution;.! 
act  implies, — it  is  what  Simcoe  announced, — it  is  what  our  ii!.' 
crties  require,  and  what  nothing,  without  our  own  consent,  can 
lawl'ully  abridge  or  take  away. 

If  your  Excellency  will  not  govern  us  upon  these  principle^, 
vou  will  exercise  arbitrary  sway, — vou   will  violate  our  chai 
ter, — virtually  abrogate  our  law  and  justly  forfeit  our  suboLS- 
sion  to  your  authority. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  Sir,  your  Excellency's 

Most  obedient,  humble  servants, 


JESSE  KETCFIUM, 
JAMES  H.  PRICE, 
JAMES  LESSLIE, 
AND'W.  McGLASHAN, 
JAMES  SHANNON, 
ROBERT  McKAV, 
xM.  McLELLAN, 


TIMOTHY   PARSONS, 
WILLIAM  LESSLIE, 
JOHN  MILLS. 
E.  T.  HENDERSON, 
JOHN  DOEL, 
JOHN  E.  TIMS, 
Wm.  J.  O'GRADY. 


Memorials,  &c. 


127 


f  I!  'I 


Gro.'it  as  was  llic  coiistilutional  qn(3stion,  for  which  the 
country  coiilt'ncli'c),  yet  it  was  simple  hi  its  nature.  They 
Jind  imder  lh(!  31si(ien.  Ill,  ;iu  KxeciUive  Council  coiistitu- 
ted  l>y  the  royal  instiiiction  ;  this  IsxeciUive  (.'ouiicil  they 
desired  to  see  dischar'^iiiL'"  tlic  duties  heloiiyin(r  to  it;  as  it 
is  the  duty  of  Parlian.cnt  to  k'^jishite,  sotliey  considered  it 
the  duty  orthe  l^lxicuiive  Council  to  advise.  Tlicy  simply 
proposed  that  all  pnhlic  a(];iirs,  a[)perlainin^  to  the  admin- 
istration, should  j-ass  under  their  review,  pr(^paralory  to  the 
tinnl  and  discietionary  aeiion  of  the  jiovernor  upon  tliem; 
and,  (issuredly.  tin  jjt.'oplc,  upon  wliose  aflaiis  and  hioliest 
interests,  the  advice  is  t^ivcn,  should  he  allowed  to  see  the 
ropresentalive  ot  ltU5  KIult  surrounded  hymen,  alike  pos- 
sess in  ii' his  confidence,  and  that  ol' the  country.  The  oreat 
(jueslion,  theii.  heiore  the  country,  vvas  not  whether  they 
should  have  the  censiitution  and  lorrn  ol 'government  of  the 
United  .States,  introduced  and  eslahiished  amouir  them,  but 
simply  whether  tliey,  his  majesty's  subjects  in  I'pper  Cana- 
(ku  should  enjoy  tlie  acknowledued  principles  of  the  IJritish 
Conslilution  —  whether  they  should  have  the  same  ri^^hls 
and  privileges,  that  their  fellow  subjects  in  the  United  King- 
dom enjoyed,  and  which  had  always,  heretol'ore,  been  ad- 
mitted in  theory,  allbouoh  denied  in  practice;  whether  the 
advisers  of  tbiO  Lieur.  Governor  were  men  of  sound  hberal 
principles,and  possession;  the  confidence  of  the  peojiie  wliom 
tliey  were  sworn  to  serve,  or  persons  imknown  and  irre- 
sponsible, and  consequently,  under  no  restraint  or  account- 
<i')ilily,  for  the  advice  they  gave. 

Unite  difierent  was  (he  view  that  Sir  Francis  took  of  the 
siibject.  In  his  reply  to  the  (>ouncil,  he  declared  that  the 
constitutional  act  considered  him  only  in  the  capacity  of  a 
iiiinister,  liable  lor  his  own  acts  and  those  of  his  council, 
iliat  it  was,  thereiore,  optional  with  him  whether  he  should 
consult  his  constitutional  advisers  or  not ;  hut  when  it  was 
proposed  in  the  House  to  impeach  him,  he  shifted  horn  the 
character  of  a  mere  minister,  into  a  representative  of  the 
iving,  who  '^coidd  do  no  wrong^'  and  is  above  all  law;  one 
day  he  was  a  minister,  in  order  to  assume  power  and  act 
wrongfully,  another  day  he  was  the  representative  of  the 
King,  to  oust  the  courts  of  justice  of  their  jurisdiction.  The 


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despotic  and  uiiconstitiitioual  principles  aniionnced  and  dc 
fended  Uy  l.ini,  and  Ins  avowed  deteiminatioii  lo  adhere  Id 
them;  the  i\  r'nniieal  and  nnjnsl  conrse  jMiiMied  hy  him, 
towards  thi;  lale  eonncil,  ihe  hillerness  ol "H'ehni^"  whieli  hu 
was  known  m  iMilerlain  townrd  all  who  thon^hl  it  their  dai- 
ly dnly  to  ()])j)ose  liini;  the  inientit)n  which  his  pid)henct!5 
evinced  to  pei'pelnatc  and  aa'uravale,  and  h)  eiicrish  tiie  sys- 
tem, and  i;.v(.)r  the  ])ail^  so  nineh  losleri'd  iuid  complainnl 
of  under  ins  j)redeeessor,  destroyed  all  Inlnre  lioi)e  oi"a  jiiivi 
and  cquitahde  administration  of  the  muvtrnment, 

Tlie  llonNeoT  Assemhiy  remonstrated,  wnrmly,  airniiist 
the  iinconsiitntional  ninnner  in  which  he  disehargcd  his  lulu 
council,  in  llie  lollowin:;"  address: 

"Wc,  His  JMajeJty's  dntlCul  and  loyal  suhjects,  tlic  (Com- 
mons ol"  L'pjier  C'anada,  in  Provincial  Parliament  assembled 
lmml)lv  beir  leave  to  iniormyonr  i^ixcellencv,  that  we  have 
with  deep  I'cirret  learned  that  your  ["IxeellencVj  has  hctn 
induced  to  can;e  the  late  Executive  Council  to  tendiM'  tlicir 
resjo-muions  to  ssiats  in  the  ('ouneil,  under  circunistniircs 
wliifih  still  ennl)led  your  Kxceilency  to  declare,  that  your 
estimation  of  their  talents  and  inteiiiity,  as  v^ell  as  your  per- 
sonal regard  for  them,  remained  unchanged  ;  and  that  un- 
der tfie  present  excited  stale  of  public  feeling ni  this  colony 
occasioned  hy  the  recent  proceedings  between  your  Excel- 
lency and  the  late  Executive  Council,  and  the  appointment 
of  a  new  Council,  (;is  appears  by  the  Gazette  Extraordina- 
ry of  Monday  the  14th  March  inst.,)  composed  of  Robert 
B.  Sullivan,  John  Ehr.sly,  Augustus  Baldwin,  and  William 
Allan,  Esquires,  this  House  feel  it  to  be  a  duty  they  owr. 
alike  to  His  Most  Gracious  Majesty,  and  to  the  people  of 
this  colony,  whose  representatives  they  are,  to  avail  them- 
selves of  the  (irst  opportunity  to  declare  at  oiice  to  ^'ovir 
Excellency  the  entire  want  of  confidence  oi  this  House  in 
tiie  last  ni<^ntioned  appointments,  and  deep  regret  that  yonr 
Excellency  consented  to  accept  tlie  tender  of  resignation 
of  the  late  council,  and  humbly  request  your  Excellency 
to  take  immediate  steps  to  remove  the  present  council  from 
such  their  situation. 

MARSHAEL  S.  B[DWELL,  Speaker, 
Commons  House  of  Assembly^  ) 
24th  March,  1836.      ( 


Mi:ri.   t^ALWf  At, 


120 


M  , 


Miis  Qnixolo,  however,  j)l'infz(  d  li'ow  one  extreme  lo 
iljcr.  lie  loilhwitli  dij>so^  d  ll.e  Ifoiiseof  Assembly. 
li,  >rcs  .iuiii"  to  ndviMj  him  er?  iIk  hoicc  ol  hiy  councillors. 
Til  iiliair.'-  I  the  Province  vve'  ihrown  into  conlusion, 
iiiK,  thcjec  le  into  a  state  ol  .  ♦  s^'tration,  by  tliis  unexpect- 
ed tveiit:  and  to  {.  ,'  to  tli-  'f  aire  dy  enoririous  gricviinces, 
|;c  ordered  as  an  .u;  hiioii  ,  ihe  |>ul)iic  lands  of  the  estab- 
lished church, I oT  .1 12  ac  >  s  to  he  set  Jipnrt  injieu  orthe  cler- 
ny  reserves  not  appf«»priiit(jd  in  the  Huron  tract!  And  :c^2,051 
iicrrs  were  granted  as  an  additional  endowment  to  the  church 
onMiiiiand  clerjiy,  for  which  patents  v;ere  completed,  and 
i.riH  acres  ;is  an  endouuient  to  tlie  church  ol"  Kngland, 
lor  which  |)atents  are  not  eonipleted.  51.057  acres  were 
;(t  iipart  as  olehes  lor  the  elnircli  of  J'lnoland,  and  85,000 
[\c\cs  rc(:()?/imcii(/(:d  lo  he  ^iveii  as  pjehes  ;  235,20(3  acres 
were  iij)plied  for  as  irlebes,  by  the  IJishop  of  Quebec,  to  bo 
sclecied  tliereafter ;  1,202,250  acres  of  (deri;iy  resc^rves,  to 
he  disposed  of  for  the  benefit  ofthe  churcli.  The  above  in- 
formation was  o-iv'en  to  the  Assembly  by  Mr.  Sullivan  in 
JSo<).  The  following'  summer.  Sir  Francis  as  he  was  trav- 
(Jin^'tlirouirh  theliOndon  district,  called  at  the  tavern  of  Mr. 
Jcysc  Pauldin^•,  (now  a  citizen  of  Cleveland,)  for  a  fresh 
!j(ltof  liorses,  who  very  coolly  told  him,  "that  ho  would 
not  disgrace  his  horses  by  hirinf»*  them  to  such  an 
liUlrafrcous  cursed  fool  as  he  jjroved  f.o  he.'"'  Sir  l-'rancis 
licaved  a  sich,  scratched  his  head  and  proceeded  with  his 
latigued  span  some  ten  miles,  when  ho  was  apprehended 
lor  a  h  >rsG  thief,  but  was  accjuitted  for  want  of  proof.  The 
jvison  who  caused  him  to  be  apprehended  was  one  of  the 
down  east,  ereen  horned  yankees,  who,  on  fmdinix  his  mis- 
take, n marked  very  sol  criy,  to  the  magistrate,  before  whom 
Sir  Francis  was  examined,  that  the  crcfur  miijht  be  a  ffov- 
ernur,  for  au^jht  he  knew,  but  he  looked  so  tarnation  irriilty, 
that  ho  took  him  for  0.  liorse  thief,  particularly,  as  the  ofi 
horse  looked  exactly  like  the  one  he  had  lost. 


< 


•K!    } 


m 


'vt-' 


'       I 

I 


',-tt' 


ms 

h 

h 


I" 


if 


;i 


The  Loiii^  rii'-lianical. 


On  his  ri>tuni  to  Toronto,  after  tliis  ndveiitiirc,  lie  ]v\{\ 
Jiis  Ji'.'irs,  iVoiii  tlio  cold  liciar  lit  lio  nccived  in  the  J.oi). 
don  Distnct.  that  he  hiid  Jd.vi  riithor  inii  iiidcntly  in  dr. 
soivintj*  so  suddenly  iho  ih^wsc  oi' Ai^scnihly.  I'o  was  snt. 
isHed  ii'oin  liis  recent  tonr  ihroniiii  tho  Province,  thaltli" 
Kci'orniers  were  iho  most  nnnierous;  loo  lioncst  to  ho  l)oii:;lif 
luid  too  resolnte  to  be  inliniiihited.  IIo  therelorc.  adopted 
the  doidde  plan — first,  o(  a|ip(>aliii'^-  to  tlicir  passions  and 
tlicir  inlei"est:j;  and  then,  as  hi;>  forlorn.  Iinpc^  iio  stimula- 
ted tlie  Orano'enien  willi  the  sliilhdahs,  to  drive  them  I'roiii 
the  ^x)lls.  JSir  I'^rancis  was  a  whole  souled,  thorouuh  ^o- 
ingnian  ;  no  half  measnrcs  for  h.rn;  the  whole  or  neiluiiii- 
was  always  hisrnotto.  The  radicals  he  mnst  pnt  down  Ly 
all  means,  ri^dit  or  wronii'.  To  attain  his  object,  the  most 
innanmiablo  njaterials  in  theconntry  were  excited.  All  he 
said,  and  all  he  pnblislied,  was  calcnlalcd  to  arouse  the 
worst  passions  of  the  hnnian  heart,  and  to  nrge  on  his  em- 
issancs  and  parlizans  to  deeds  of  blood-shed.  In  the  fir^t 
place,  he  attempted  to  persuade  the  people,  that  tfic  late 
Assembly  contemplated,  in  conjunction  with  one  or  two 
leading  o;entlenicn  in  the  Lower  l^rovince,  to  invito  an  in- 
vasion from  the  State  of  New-Yorlc.  In  his  reply  to  an 
address  of  certain  electors  in  the  Home  District,  he  stated 
that  "  he  was  well  aware  that  one  or  two  individuals  of  the 
Lower  Province,  and  the  '.ate  House  of  Assembly  in  Upper 
Canada,  inculcated  the  idea  that  this  Province  is  about  to 
be  disturbed  by  the  interference  of  foreiofners,  whose  power 
and  whose  numbers  will  prove  invincible.  In  the  name 
of  every  resfiment  of  mil  ilia  in  the  Province,  I  publicly  pro- 
mul^rate — Let  them  come  if  they  darn  IV^ 

But  his  address  to  the;  electors  of  the  New-Castle  District, 
if  possible,  transcends  all  that  he  had  said  or  done  before; 


Tilt:    LONG    iVVJlLtAMr.iNT. 


131 


i  !!>:  (I 
,1  en 


and  would  of  itself  bugroiiiifl  for  his  iiiipcMicliiuont.  ''As 
voiu"  J)istrict,"  said  he,  ''  has  now  tlm  iinporlaiit  duty  to 
jiertorm  ;  of  electiiii,'  represetitatives  for  a  new  I'arhauient, 
I  think  it  may  priicticiilly  assist,  if  I  clearly  lay  heri)re  yon, 
what  is  the  coiidiiet  I  nitend  inlkxihly  to  piirMie,  in  orihT 
iJHithy  the  ehoiee  of  your  in)\v  ineinh'Ts,  you  uiay  rt'solvc 
('ith(!r  to  support  or  oppose  nu^,  as  you  may  tliiuk  pro|»er. 
1  consider  that  uiy  ehiu-a(!ter  and  vonr  intiM'ests  areenihark- 
(ti  III  one  and  the  same  boat.  11  i)V  my  admini.-^tration  I 
increase  your  wealth,  I  shall  claim  lor  myself  credit  which 
It  will  l)e  totally  out  of  your  power  [o  withhold  fiom  me; 
il  I  diminish  your  wetdth,  1  lijel  it  would  be  hopeless  lor 
any  one  to  shield  me  tVom  l)|aine. 

''As  we  have,  therefore,  oiu;  common  obj(.*ct  in  vi(nv,  the 
|,laiii  cpieslion  lor  ns  to  consider  is,  wlncli  of  us  has  \\u] 
i:ro;iIer  [jower  to  do  <roo(l  !o  llj>j)er  ('anada?  or  in  oilu^r 
•.'/aids,  (.'an  yon  do  as  nuich   li'ood   to  vour^-elycs  as  1  can 


lo  lor  yoM 


?     ll 


IS  my  opinion,  you  ciimot' 


it 


i>  my  opin- 


;i  that  if  yofi  choose  to  dispute  with  me,  and  live  on  bad 
iriiis  with  t'le  mother  coimuy,  yon  will,  ti>  use  a  homc^ly 
lihrase,oidy  quarrel  with  your  own  hrcad  and  htUttr.  If 
yon  like  to  try  the  experiment,  by  ehjctino:  members  who 
will  aLTain  stop  tlie  supj)lies,  do  so  ;  for  I  can  have  no  objoc- 
fioii  whatever.  On  the  other  hand,  if  yon  choose  fcarless- 
i\'to  embark'  your  interests  witli  my  character,  depetid  up- 
on it,  I  will  take  paternal  care  of  them  both. 

"If  I  am  allowed,  1  will,  by  reason  and  mild  conchict, 
bcijin  first  of  all  by  tranqinlisinir  tlic  country;  and  as  soon 
;!S  that  object  slndl  be  gained,  I  will  use  all  my  inllucnce 
with  his  Majesty's  irovernment  to  make  such  alterations  in 
ilip  land  iirantinir  departments,  as  shall  attract  into  Upper 
Canada  the  redundant  wealth  and  population  of  the  mother 
ountry.     Men,  women,  and  money,  are  what  you  want 


and  if  you  will  send  to  Pariiament  mrmlx^rs  of  moderafo 
politics,  who  will  cordially  and  devoid  of  all  self-interest, 
assist  me,  depend  upon  it,  you  will  i^ain  more  than  you 
possibly  can  do,  by  hof;e!e^sly  tryinir  to  msnlt  me;  for  kt 
vonr  conduct  be  what  it  may.  I  am  quite  determined  so 
lonsf  as  I  occupy  the  station  I  now  do,  neither  to  aive  of- 
fence, nor  take  it 


» 


His  next  appeal  was  to  the  clergy,  implorini?  them  as  they 


f 


•  ii 


( 


N 


i  1 


lif'i 


■'•I'  ■ 


>    1 


i . !    -^ 


! 


132 


THE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


valued  the  King's  favor,  or  their  own  personal  interests,  to 
exert  their  pastoral  iutiiiencc  witfi  their  respective  concre. 
gatioiis,  to  induce  tfiem  to  vote  for  the  tory  candidates.— 
liegardless  of  their  sacred  character,  the  peace  and  prosper- 
ity of  the  Province,  these  l)irelin(Jf  sycopliants,  or  rather 
wolves  in  shtjcp's  clothing-,  obeyed  the  unholy  mandate  to 
the  very  letter.  In  public  and  in  [)rivate,  and  even  iVoni 
the  sacred  desk  on  the  Sabbath,  they  C(}ased  not  (o  scaiidii!- 
isethe^ure  and  patriotic  intentions  of  the  lleCorniers,  and 
denounce  ,tiieni  as  enemies  to  the  church  and  iha  ^^failh 
once  delivered  to  the  sauifs,'^  for  virtuously  opposiijo-  ih,; 
unconstitutional  measures  of  a  cruel,  vindictive  and  tyraii- 
ical  Governor.  While  these  holy  men  were  thus  at  work, 
Sir  Francis,  on  his  part,  was  not  idle,  lie  brouuht  iniu 
play  all  the  means  of  corruption  which  his  hij^h  otlice  pla- 
ced within  his  reach.  Reissued  out  new  commissions  to 
militia  oliicers  throughout  the  Province;  appointed  in  ev- 
ery coiuity  larii-e  balclies  of  mao-jstrales  of  the  most  iiriio- 
rant  juid  sycophantic  characters;  and  to  secure  more  |)er- 
manently  the  interest  and  influence  of  the  Oraiiire  fnclioii. 
the  Gov^n'ument  liouse  was  painted  inside  and  out  with 
oran<^e  colors.  Hut  to  secure  the  elections  the  more  eilVc- 
tually,  he  adopted  the  most  hartj-faced  and  corrupt  means 
of  creating  voters.  He  gave  deeds  for  sand-banks  whereon 
aspire  ^f  irrass  nev^er  i^rew,  nor  ever  will,  to  thieves  and 
murderers,  conQned  for  trial  in  the  Toronto  jail,  to  enahio 
them  to  vote  for  his  favorite  candidate,  and,  afterwards 
pardoned  tliem,  Ijcsidos  this,  upwards  of  five  thousand 
deeds  were  distributed  through  the  Province  to  effect  the 
elections.  These  deeds  were  promis  d  to  be  delivered  to 
the  now  vet  r  ,  free  of  all  charges,  at  the  polls,  on  their  giv- 
ing their  sullVages  to  the  Tory  candidates.  They  did  so: 
each  one  demanding:  his  patent  as  he  voted  ;  but  the  gov- 
ernment  undents  had  instructions  of  a  different  knid.  Tliey 
politely  informed  the  unsuspejtini,^  voters  tliat  it  was  incon- 
venient to  give  them  just  then  ;  but  as  soon  ;is  the  election^ 
were  over  they  should  be  delivered  ;  a:ul  they  took  then' 
names  alphabetically,  to  have  them  recorded  i?i  the  Heiri:^ 
trar's  ofhce  at  Toronto.  Tlie  poor  dupes  believed  all  this, 
and  remained  at  their  own  expense  until  the  polls  closed, 


' 


5  cougre- 
idutes.— 

or  ratlicr 
anclate  to 
veil  jroni 
>  sc.Mi  id  (li- 
ners, and 

^mij^  iIk; 
id  tyraii- 
at  work, 
iiiiht  iiiiu 
)dice  pla- 
issioiKs  to 
ted  in  ev- 
ost  iiriio- 
110  re  |)(jr- 
e  faction. 
out  with 
ore  elt'jf'- 
ipt  iiieaiis 
wlierooii 
ieves  and 
to  enahii; 
[ter  wards 
tliodsand 
eiibct  tln! 
iverod  to 
their  ^iv- 
y  diJ  so; 
the  iT'tv- 
1.    Tliey 
as  iiicoii- 
eh^.ction^' 
)ok  tliou' 
le  He<ri:^- 
all  this, 
s  closed, 


illE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


133 


crests  to  I  ^v^'^^^  ^^'^'^  ^'^^^  ^^^^   mortification  of  being  told  that  their 


niitt'uts  were  box(;d  up  tlie  j)recedinge  ening,  and  lorward- 
ed  to  Toronto  by  the  Governor's  order,  to  be  delivered  to 
Ihein  tliere  on  pv.yiiu,^  the  usual  i'ei^s  !!  Could  Satan  hiin- 
sell",  with  all  his  cniiiiia^:,  beat  this  !!! 

Li  one  iiistaiicejan  a;L,^ent  was  despatched  with  303  of  these 
hiiid  patents  to  8lnicoe  to  obtain  votes  against  the  inarlyr 
IjOiiiit ;  hut  Iindiiii;  no  market  for  the.ni  tiiere,  Orange  riots 
wore  re>oiti;d  to;  whicli  turned  the  scale  for  the  Tory  candi- 
date, b'illeen  iiundred  were  hawked  about  in  the  third 
ridiiJU"  of  York,  to  op'j;oso  tiie  undaunted  M'Kcnzie. 

As  another  instance  of  the  dishonorable  nieans  resorl-r; 
to,  by  these  craven  ollicials  to  coerce  the  electors,  Suihvtm 
and  Khnsley,  honorable  legislative  councillors,  went 
through  the  city  of  Toronto  before  tin;  city  election,  riin! 
tlireatened  tlie  nic^'chanis  and  tradesmen  with  loss  of  cns- 
toiii  and  stoppage  of  bank'  credit.  Among  others  they  cill- 
cdiij)on  Mr.  William  Ware,  a,  liii^ddy  respectable  mcrclian;: 
and  when  he  candidly  inforni'xl  tliem  th:;t  he  sliould  ur.[ 
vote  for  the  Governor's  nomii!'H\  t'ley  aspired  him  that  li' 
liL' did  not,  they  would  not  only  witiidrauMheir  cnsto;]i 
lio.n  bis  store,  Ijiit  would  also  stop  bis  cr(jdit  at  the  bunk, 
itiid  prevent  his  obtaining  any  iuitlier  accommodation 
there!! 

It  was  aenerally  supposed  that  upwards  of  25{j,()0t)  acres 
were  granted  Irom  the  first  of  A()rii  to  tiie  tliirty-flrst  of 
.biiy — exclusive  of  as  much  more  to  the  (Janada  Company, 
to  secure  the  return  of  a  majority  of  Tory  members.  Wdiat 
these  means  fell  short  of  accomplishing,  the  Orange  sliilla- 
lalis  sii))plied. 

(Such  were  the  instruments,  ai^l  such  the  means,  by 
which  Sir  Francis  o!)tained  one  e,f  the  most  bloody  and 
audaciousiv  corrupt  Parliaments  that  over  disgraced  any 
country,  cursed  even  with  sucli  a  mock  representative  gov- 
ernment as  is  (^an;ula. 

Heavl  became  literally  detested,  not  on  account  of  his 
mean  appearance,  for  that  he  could  not  fielp — but  for  his 
eoiiduct.  lie  ruined  trade;  destroyed  confidence  between 
laan  and  man;  denied  them  their  cniistitutional  riglits;  co- 
erced the  }ieople  according  to  the  most  a[)proved  rules  ot 
13 


I' 


-i      I 


'1;  i 


- 1 

■ 

:•     ' 

i 
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THE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


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the  most  tyranical  governments  in  Europe;  interfered  cor- 
ruptly in  the  elections  ,  until  he  obtained  his  desire  of  a 
mock  Legislative  Council ;  a  dumb  Executive  Council 
and  a  sham  representation  of  the  people. 

As  a  maii,  ho  scrupled  not  at  base  falsehood  ;  as  a  Gov- 
ernor, he  involved  the  country  in  trouble ;  as  an  EuirHsh. 
men,  he  destroyed  British  interests ;  as  the  King's  repre- 
sentative, he  disgraced  the  dignity  of  the  Crown,  and  alien- 
ated the  alToctions  of  the  people  from  the  Imperial  govern- 
ment ;  as  the  chief  magistrate,  he  Ibstered  discord,  and 
brooded  over  anarchy  until  he  produced  bloodshed  and  re- 
bellion. Many  a  worthy  English  nobleman  snliered  the 
penalty  of  death  for  lesser  crimes  than  the  author  of  the 
"13ubbels  of  the  Brunners"  perpetrated  in  Canada. 

Immediately  after  the  elections,  the  people  delegiited  Dr. 
Charles  Duncombe,  M.  P.  P.  for  Oxford,  to  proceed  forlh- 
with  to  London,  to  represent  the  melanclioly  state  of  their 
afiixirs  to  the  British  government,  as  well  as  to  urge  the  im- 
mediate recall  of  Sir  Francis  B.  Head,  and  thereby  Sc\vo 
the  country  from  anarchy  and  bloodshed.  But  Sir  Francis 
having  obtained,  through  a  well  arranged  system  of  espion- 
age, the  nature  of  Dr.  buncombe's  mission  to  the  Colonial 
Office,  despatched  a  Mr.  Carey,  to  precede  the  Doctor  with 
the  following  cunningly  devised  letter: 

''Toronto,  July  16M,  1836. 

"The  republican  minority  o^  course  feel  their  cause  is 
desperate,  and  as  a  last  dying  struggle,  they  have,  I  under 
stand,  been  assembling  at  Toronto  niirht  after  night  for  the 
purpose  of  appealing  for  assistance  to  his  Majesty's  govern- 
ment! Their  convocations  are  so  secret  that  it  is  impossi- 
ble for  me  to  know  what  passes  there;  but  I  have  been  in 
fortHed,that  they  have  actually  despatched  Dr.  Duncombe, 
an  American,  and  a  rank  republican,  with  complaints  of 
some  sort  respecting  the  elections. 

"I  feel  confident  that  your  Lordship  will  discounten- 
ance this  dark,  unconstitutional  practice  of  despatching 
agents  from  this  Province  to  his  Majesty's  government,  to 
make  secret  complaints  against  the  Lieutenant  Governor, 
which,  of  course,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  repel.'* 


THE    LONG    PARLIAMP:NT. 


135 


On  the  above  despatch,  Dr.  Rolph,  late  member  of  the 
Executive  Coimcil,  remarked  in  his  place  in  the  House  ol 
Assembly,  *'  If  it  is  a  dark  and  unconstitutional  practice  to 
send  agents  to  his  Majesty's  government  to  complain  of  such 
official  conduct,  as  preceded  and  attended  the  late  elections. 
If  such  conduct  is  to  be  approved  by  the  very  government 
from  which  the  people  ought  to  expect  and  to  receive  pro- 
tection ;  if  this  co-operation  of  the  Colonial  mmister,  is  to 
perpetuate  a  system  abhorrent  to  every  well  regulated  mind; 
repugnant  to  the  constitution;  subversive  of  liberty,  and 
based  in  immorality;  the  future  civil  and  religious  rights  of 
the  country  are  doomed  to  extinction.  Salvation  can,  in 
such  case,  only  be  expected,  from  the  subversion  of  such  a 
system  from  its  foundation.  Unless  the  evil  is  now  eflectu- 
ally  corrected,  it  will  equally  infect  the  future,  as  it  has  the 
postelections.  The  country  must,  therefore,  remember 
that  this  execrable  policy  is  not  to  be  viewed  in  a  specu- 
lative, but  in  a  practical  point  of  view.  Shall  we  ever 
ao;ain  have  a  free  election?  This  fearful  inquiry  must  be 
met  by  another.  Will  this  execrable  policy  ever  again  be 
put  in  operation?  I  answer — it  will!  The  same  govern- 
ment, under  the  same  system,  will  not  hesitate  to  resort  to 
the,  same  means  to  gain  the  same  ends.  They  will  not 
blush  to  call  these  means  '•energy,"  "moral  courage,"  and 
'•forsight;"  "services"  worthy  of  "  high  and  honorable  tes- 
limony!"  By  these  virtues  we  are  hereafter  to  be  govern- 
ed! Canada  must  now  make  her  choice  between  the  man- 
ful redress  of  her  inucvances,  or  a  lasting:  submission.  It  is 
the  preservation  or  extinction  of  liberty.  Repetition  will 
be  held  corroboration  ;  and  renewed  success  will  harden 
the  workers  of  iniquity.  It  is  a  solemn,  but  unavoidable 
altornativ^e.  If  you  recognise  these  as  virtues^  and  desire 
their  transmission  to  your  posterity,  you  have  nothing  to 
do;  you  have  only  to  suffer.  But  if  your  nobler  feelings 
rise  in  arms  asfainst  such  virtues,  and  the  dire  inheritance 
they  will  yield  to  your  children  and  your  children's  child- 
ren; if  you  value  that  purity  of  civil  government  which  is 
Heaven's  second  best  gift  to  man  ;  if  this  rude  blow  has  not 
severed  ^our  bonds  of  sympathy  from  your  institutions, 
civil  and  religious,  and  all  that  endears  a  people  to  their 
country;  if  liberty  shall  not  by  this  deadly  outrage  become 


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130 


THE    t^ONG    PARLIAMENT. 


extinct,  but  rather  rise  from  the  pnuic.  with  renewed  rnor. 
gy,  and  a  more  hallowed  zeal;  Canadians  jnusl  nerv<'  tliciu. 
selves  with  a  fervent  patriotism,  and  a  christian  sj)irit,  to 
devise  by  all  the  constitutional  ir.eans  redress  lor  tin,' past. 
and  salvation  for  the  future." 

When  Dr.  Dnncombo  arrived  in  J^ondon,  ho  {'ouik].  to 
his  great  surprise,  the  door  of  the  Colonial  Odice  closed. 
against  him;  nor  could  lie,  in  consequence  of  Sir  f'r;incis" 
letter,  obtain  even  an  outside  hearing  Ironi  the  Colonial 
minister,  Lord  Glenelg.  ilut  tlie  Doctor  was  not  a  man 
to  be  so  easily  diverted  from  his  ol)jcct.  IJeiuir  armed  in  a 
good  cause,  lie  resolved  tliat,  as  the  Colonial  Oliice  denied 
him  ingress,  the  Enirlish  public  should  be  fully  and  liiith- 
fully  informed  of  the  unconstitutional  and  cruel  manner  in 
which  their  fellow  subjects  in  Canada  had  been  treated  bv 
tlie  Colonial  Oliice,  since  1820,  and  the  desperate  steps  Sir 
Francis  B.  Head  had  taken,  to  gratily  his  unliallowt  d  atii- 
bition  for  dcwspotic  power  by  trampling u])on  sacred  rinlits; 
P'jrverting  the  Constitution;  obstructing  the  course  olju,';. 
i.ce;  prostrating  the  energies  of  the  countr3^  and  rendcriiio' 
tlie  elective  franchise  of  no  avail  by  the  vast  sources  ot 
patronnge  at  his  command  and  disposal.  These,  v/ith  r. 
deUiiled  account  of  all  tliciv  grievances,  were  published  in 
o:ie  of  the  leading  journals. 

Alarmed  at  the  pointed  charges  thus  boldly  preforod  a- 
gainst  the  Lieutenant  Cfovernor,  L.ord  Glenelg  conde.'rcen- 
ded  at  last  to  receive  the  petitions  and  charges;  promising; 
Dr.  Duncombe,  in  the  event  of  their  proving  true,  to  for 
v/ard  instructions  for  a  new  election,  and  the  iveali  oi 
Sir  Francis.  It  is  however  wortliy  of  record,  that  widmli 
this  information  before  him,  established  by  irreiVni^iblo 
proof,  Lord  Glenelg,  a  peer  of  Fiiigland  and  a  minister  of 
state,  wrote,  after  Dr.  Duncombe's  departure  for  Canada,  ii 
despatch,  dated  the  8th  of  September,  1836,  being  in  an- 
swer to  the  one  from  Sir  Francis,  dated  the  KUh  of  .hilV: 
thus  approving  a  course  of  conduct  and  policy  which 
would  scarcely  find  a  parallel  or  an  apologist  in  the  dark- 
est government  in  Europe: 

"  The  King  is  pleased  to  acknowledge,  with  marked  ap- 
probation,  the  foresight,   energy,  and  moral  courage  by 


^UA 


THE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


137 


which  your  conduct  on  this  occasion  has  been  distinguish- 
|ed.  It  is  peculiarly  gratifying  to  me  to  be  the  channel  of 
conveying  to  you  this  iiigh  and  honorable  testimony  of  his 
Majesty's  favorable  acceptance  of  your  services.'' 

The   style  and  drift   of  the   above   despatch  need  no 
I  comment. 

By  this  secret  despatch,  it  appeared  plainly  to  the  people 
that  the  Colonial  minister  had  been  playing  a  very  dishon- 
orable game,  through  the  hands  of  the  Lieutenant  Govern- 
or—his private  instructions  approving  and  rewarding  what 
his  public  despatches  condemned  as  unconstitutional — se- 
.  retly  riveting  the  old  grievances,while  he  publicly  ordered 
their  redress.  Thus  il;  was  wUh  the  clergy  reserve  des- 
patches; the  education  despatches;  the  royal  lik  about 
protcctmg  the  protestant  churches,  &.c.  I  lead's  instruc- 
tions were  "M'Kenzie's  grievance  report,"  with  Lord  Glen- 
(lii's  despatch  commenting  on  it. 

in  this  despatch  Sir  Frnncis  was  instructed  to  request  the 
Assembly  to  establish  a  Board  of  Audit  by  law,  ;ind  i'',  at  the 
f'lose  of  the  Session,  that  was  not  done,  to  establish  it  himself. 
Did  he  do  it?  No;  he  had  private  information  telling  him  that 
t!io  order  was  got  up  to  ^'blarney  the  radicals."  Head  was 
loj'j,  in  the  despatch,  to  recommend  a  commission  to  inquire 
into  and  diminish  useless  offices.  In  his  private  instructions 
lie  was  told  to  call  into  requisition  every  means  of  bribery  and 
corruption,  which  ho  fulfilled  to  the  letter.  He  was  told  to 
keep  all  the  officers  in  a  system  of  subordination  to  him,  and 
ih.1t  he  was  to  obey  Downing  street.  The  public  despatch 
to!d  Sir  Francis,  "-the  King  is  not  prepared,  just  yet,  to  med- 
clie  with  the  Clergy  Reserves.''  The  private  instructions  hin- 
ijdthat  it  might  be  necessary  to  sell  them  to  pay  the  English 
capitalists  a  partof  the  bribery  money,  known  as  the  Provincial 
di^bt.  Glenelg,  in  the  public  instruction,  told  Head  to  with- 
hold no  revenue  information.  An  address  from  the  Assembly 
Wcissent,  subsequently,  to  learn  ihe  condition  of  the  Crown  of- 
lice,  and  Head  ordered  an  answer  to  he  given,  so  framed  as 
to  conceal  sixty  thousand  dollars  default  money.  This  his 
private  instructions  required  him  to  do  in  such  an  emergency. 
In  the  public  despatch,  he  is  told  to  choose  Justices  of  the  Peace 
without  political  partiality.  In  the  private  one,  and  he  follow- 
ed it  to  the  letter,  the  comnnand  was — ♦*Choose  none  but  tools; 

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THE    LONG    PARLIAMtlNT. 


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oust  all  radicals  !   take  occasicni  against  all  reforincr.s,  |iarilci 
!arly   il'  tliey   arc   hoiiost."     Tho   public   instruction  said,  iliatl 
the  Governor  '.vould  liavo  to  vindicate  every   act  of  jiis  admii,. 
istration,   in   England.     The   private  one  told   i)iin  to  keep  ihej 
Canadians  poor,  and  Glctneig  would   share  the   tnock  respun.j. 
hility.      The    public   instruction,  jiage  38,   oilers  Uji  tho  vix^.m] 
revenue  Tor  a  proper  civil  list.     The   private  one  told  him  id 
include  -'li^OUO  to  the  Methodists,  ;i!id  if  the  Assembly  giiipr, 
the  whole,    to   reserve  it,   and  thus  lumiijug  the   (.'iuiadiaiis.—  l 
Every  Diiton  oi^  manly   feeling,  every  Canadian  oi'  honest  in 
tcntions,  turned  with  abhorrence  and    disgust    from   a    sytUril 
which    could   onlv  bo   carried   into  execution    bv  nii-asures  ■• 
gross  and  astounding  as  these. 

'I'iic  people  now  saw  through  the  iny story,  why  each  sue- 
cccding  governor  exceeded  his  predecessor  in  rnal-adniiuislci. 
i ncf  the  nilairs  of  the  l^rovinco,  as  well  as  the  reasons  nr 
which  they  were  i)roaioted  previous  to,  or  on  their  return  to 
England. 

On  the  receipt  of  the  above  despatch,  Sir  Francis'  cundu:; 
became  intoKirablo.  lie  had  the  vanity  to  consider  iiimsclfiiii' 
Solon  of  Up.per  Canada — tiio  no  plus  ultra  of  a  perfect  legisla- 
tor; and  his  kitchen  sycophants,  for  selfish  purposes,  tu- 
couraged  the  conceit.  All  classes  were  I'ully  satisfied  tii;U 
nothing  now  remained  lor  them,  but  a  t;uno  submission,  or  up. 
open  assei'tion  of  their  inherent  rights,  at  all  hazards.  As  soon 
as  Dr.  Duncombe  rtstarned,  the  central  committee  met  to  ru- 
ceive  his  report,  and  ascertain  the  result  of  his  mission,  which 
was  by  no  means  favorable.  The  new  tory  Parliament  being 
now  about  to  meet,  in  a  few  days  tho  meeting  adjourned,  to 
prepare  for  tho  coming  contest.  McKenzie  being  taken  sick 
and  his  life  despaired  of,  the  indefatigable  Dr.  Duncombe,  a'i- 
ihougli  he  failed  in  obtaining  satisfaction  for  the  people,  from 
the  Colonial  Minister,  was,  nevertheless,  determined  to  bring 
Sir  Francis  to  a  trial,  even  before  his  own  mock  Assembly, 
for  TREASON  and  other  high  crimes,  against  the  peo[)le.  He 
did  so,  with  the  full  knowledge  that  it  was  like  bringing  a  thief 
to  trial  before  a  gang  of  thieves.  The  King's  life  being  also 
despaired  of,  at  this  time  Sir  Francis'  Parliament  had  no  soon- 
er met,  than  they  passed  a  law,  in  the  teeth  of  the  Constitution, 
declaring  their  sitting  permanent,  for  three  years  after  tiiO 
King's  demise,  and  Sir  Francis  gave  to  it  the  royal  assent.— 
Dr.  Duncombo  brought  before  tho  House,  in  due  form,  his  cei- 


tiih:  long  parliament. 


139 


sion,  whicli 


obratod  bill,  iinpcvifjiiiiit]:  Sir  Francis  noiidhfiiul,  Lieut.  Gover- 
nor of  lh(!  rroviiicc  of  Upper  Canada,  for  ti:ka.so\  and  other 
liigii  crinics,  against  the  |)cr)pio;  which,  in  ctii;cr,  was  like 
tin-owing  a  lire  brand  'it  a  nest  of  iiorntits; — tliev  llew  at  the 
Doctor  with  the  ixasonou.^  sting  of  thcnr  tongnes,  IVom  all  quar- 
ters. TIk!  k'ariu'(l  and  eloquent  Jolin  llolph,  arose  in  the 
might  of  his  intellectiial  strength,  headed  the  little  haiul  of  rc- 
furin  in<>tni)ers,  and  witii  ])r.  Dunconibe,  they  wiihslood  the 
shock  of  the  onset  and  maintained  their  ground — hid  dciilance, 
and  dart.'d  them  to  a  fair  combat.  ]>ut  thcv  weri;  truiltv  and 
{.\WiH\vjl  the  exposure;  Ihey  turned  and  shifted — snw  no  hope; 
no  way  for  escape.  Fight  ihey  nuist,  or  sulli'r  a  disgraceful 
defeat.  To  evade  the  contest,  at  one  time,  they  repicsentc(j 
the  Governor  as  standing  in  the  King's  si;oes,  who  could  do 
no  wrong,  and  therefore  above  all  law  and  be  yo'-ul  nnpeach- 
inent;  at  another  timt^  ihey  represented  him  only  ;*  ?  a  Minis- 
ter, executing  the  orders  of  Downingstrect,  a)id  acecMintabIc  to 
the  King  only.  Hut  all  was  to  no  |)urj)ose.  Thry  must  stand 
trial,  or  be  disgraced.  There  were  no  possible  means  of  eva- 
ding it,  and  they  knew  it.  After  much  sparring  and  confusion, 
they  consonred  to  tlic  appointment  of  a  commillee  to  investigate 
the  cliarge  and  bring  in  a  bill  accordingly.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  two  members,  this  connnittce  consisted  of  the  Gover- 
nor's creatures  and  h:ingers  on;  notwithstanding  which,' the 
reform  party  were  so  conlident  of  establishing  their  point,  that 
t!icy  even  agreed  to  tliis  one-sided  measure.  JiUt  the\v  counted 
without  their  host.  Sir  Francis  knew  his  men.  lie  propitia- 
ted each  of  them,  previously,  with  a  slice  from  liis  own  hand, 
and  10  show  their  gratitude,  they  perseverin^ly  declined  exami- 
ning a  single  witness  on  oath;  and  after  sitting  day  after  day, 
and  week  after  week,  they  at  length,  by  a  pp'conccrtcd  strat- 
agem, in  the  absence  of  the  reform  mcm'jers,  signed  a  leport 
in  behalf  of  the  whole,  presented  it  t(j  tiie  IIous(i  and  white- 
washed Sir  Francis  all  over,  on  the  old  |)rinciple,  *'ask  my 
brother  thief  if  I  am  a  thief.''  The  two  rel'orm  menibers,  find- 
ing themselves  outwitted,  by  a  trick  as  mean  as  it  was  con- 
temptible, protested  against  the  report  as  corrupt,  insulting  to 
the  committee  and  unworthy  the  notice  of  the  House.  But  tho 
die  was  cast  and  the  impeachment  lost.  But  another  of  a  more 
formidable  and  pointed  nature,  was  shortly  to  be  brought  be- 
fore them,  in  a  difleront  shape.  McKenzie  being  now  recover- 
ed, sent  to  the  House  the  usual  notice,  that  he  would  contest 


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140 


THE    l^ONG    PARLIAMENT. 


the  election  of  Mr.  Thompson,  for  the  2(J  Riding  of  York,  on 
tlie  following  grounds,  viz: 

'•Thai  at  the  hist  clccliou  for  a  member  to  represent  the 
second  Uidinii:  of  tlie  County  of  York,  in  the  1  egishitnre, 
WiUiani  Hepburn,  Esquire^  acting  Trustee  to  the  Six- 
INations  Indians,  was  the  Returning  Ollieer;  and  the  can- 
didates proposed,  and  for  whom  a  poll  was  dc;niandcd  and 
opened,  were  Hdward  William  Tiiomson,  Ksq.  the  sitting 
member,  and  your  petitioner. 

That  His  Kxcellcncy,  the  Lieut.  Governor,  Sir  F.  D. 
Head,  unduly  iiiteriered  with  the  election  and  tampered 
witli  the  riiihts  of  the  Freeholders. 

1st.  13^  putting  lorth  a  variety  of  threatening,  inllani- 
matory  harangues,  in  violent  language,  under  the  form  of 
replies  to  certain  addresses,  which  were  circnU'ited  in  the 
shape  of  handbills,  evidjutly  with  the  intention  of  biasnisj 
the  minds  of  the  yeomanry,  previous  to  the  tiien  approach 
[no;  election. 

2d.  By  issuing  new  deeds  after  the  prorogation  and  dis- 
solution, and  even  after  polling  had  commenced,  with  a 
view  to  prev^ent  the  election  of  your  petitioner,  who  had 
been  six  times  successively  returned  for  tfie  County  and 
once  for  ilie  Riding,  for  which  lie  was,  for  the  eighth  time, 
a  candidate. 

3d.  By  allowing  magistrates,  persons  dependent  on  his 
will,  and  others,  who  were  to  receive  Crown  deeds,  on  con- 
dition of  performing  settlement  duties,  to  obtain  their  deeds, 
such  duties  nor  having  been  performed,  and  this  to  inllu- 
ence  the  election. 

4th.  By  inducing  persons,  with  expectation  of  offices  of 
honor  and  emolument,  to  violate  the  law,  in  order  to  pre- 
vent your  petitioner's  election — as,  for  instance,  in  the 
matter  of  Andrew  Shore  and  wife,  committed  to  jail,  on  a 
charge  of  grand  larceny,  by  Alderman  Denison;  and  hy 
him  and  Alderman  Gurnett,  (the  latter  a  most  indefatigable 
agent  in  spreading  the  Lieut.  Governor's  political  repHes. 
through  the  Riding,)  admitted  Shore  to  bail,  insufficient 
bail,  contrary  to  the  statute,  which  requires  all  such  cases 
to  be  brought  before  one  of  the  Judges  of  the  Court  of 
King's  Bench,  and  allowed  Mrs.  Shore  to  go  free.     Shore 


THE    L()N<i    PARLIAMENT. 


141 


w;is  iiisiantly  limriod  oil",  by  Mr.  ruirnelt,  and  liis  Consti- 
luiioDiil  ^Dciety  cniiut.'.xioijs,  to  {StrcclsvilJc;  to  vole  for  llio 
tiovcnniKiit  candidate.  I'or  several  mouths  alter,  lie  was 
at  lil;crty.  lie  was  convieled  at  the  last  /Assizes  of  the 
Clime  or  stealiiio-,  in  a  dwellin^r-iiousc,  and  is  now  an  in- 
male  in  the  Penitentiary.  J\]r.  Cnrueil,  the  ageni  in  this 
dithcinerable  a  (lair,  liaj",  since  tlie  election,  been  promoted 
10  ii  (.'onmiissionership,  in  the  Conrt  ot' Keqnests,  in  this 
cii\.  in  the  place  of  Mr.  Small,  removed, 

5!l!.  I>y  issuing  Crown  deeds,  without  a  description  of 
boundaries,  imder  im{)roper  advice,  in  order  to  eiioct  the 
L'li'Ction. 

(jth.  ]>v  deeliijinn^,  or  refusino*  to  discountenance  Oranore 
lodges  and  party  j'roceeJings,  although  in  possession  of 
the  Koyal  pleasure  and  the  decision  oi"  the  l.i'gislature  re- 
s^pcctuiu'  them. 

7th.  iJy  issuino-  Crown  deeds  for  lands  at  Pert  Credit, 
although  the  conditions  of  sale  liad  not  lieen  fuUilU-d,  anti 
by  issumg  sucli  deeds,  in  some  cases,  to  other  jiersons  than 
the  original  nominees  or  purchasers,  although  the  practice 
has  been  not  to  sanction  transfers  by  those  v/ho  had  no  ti- 
tles, except  under  tlie  Heir  and  Devisee  act. 

Sill.  And,  as  your  petitioner  is  advised,  by  contributing, 
with  his  ollicers,  to  funds,  intended  to  affect  the  election; 
by  issuing  Crown  deeds  to  individuals,  upon  the  condition, 
expressed  or  implied,  that  they  would  vole  for  Mr.  Thom- 
son, and  this,  in  some  cases,  without  payment  of  the  pur- 
chase money,  or  u]K)n  unusual  terms. 

That  tlie  returning  ofiicer,  Willitmi  Hepburn,  Esquire, 
111  the  performance  of  the  duties  of  his  office  at  llie  said 
el(jCiion,  acted,  in  many  respects,  partially,  iHega.lly  and 
ignorantly.     Amongst  others — 

He  administered  the  oath  required  to  bo  taken  by  free- 
holders, under  the  statute  4th  William  IV.,  chap.  14,  for 
several  days  after  the  commencement  of  the  polling,  inva- 
riably omitttng  the  description  of  the  estate,  on  which  the 
elector  voted,  and  substituting  only  the  words  '-a  freehold," 
notwithstanding  the  remonstrances  of  your  petitioner  a- 
gaiiist  his  doing  so, — and  your  petitioner  often  endeavored 
to  convince  him  that  any  person  who  had  a  freehold  any 


f      f- 


II-  ^  i 


'  1 

1 


i  i 


'.  1 

J 

n 

#• 

( 

'i 

;1 

142 


Tni:    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


i'l' 


i 

J  ii 


U 


where,  even  if  it  were  in  Englund,  could  take  such  an  onih 
as  he  had  substituted.  After  several  days,  he  began  to 
swear  the  voters  to  the  freehold  they  voted  on,  as  by  law 
required. 

He  rejected  the  votes  of  many  electors  who  offered  their 
votes  for  your  petitioner,  and  refused  to  record  their  names 
or  votes,  and  discouraged  others  from  coming  to  the  hus- 
tings, by  deciding,  on  an  objection  to  a  vote  raised  by  Mr. 
Thomson,  that  i'reeliolders,  born  in  the  United  Stales,  or 
in  any  foreign  country,  should  not  vote,  although  they 
might  have  been  resident  in  Canada  half  a  century,  auil 
duly  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance,  ajid  although  they  pub- 
licly offered  to  take  the  oaths  prescribed  by  the  Statutis. 
unless  each  voter,  on  presenting  himself,  could  produce  u 
paper,  purporting  to  be  a  Commissioner's  certificate,  that 
he  had  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance,  such  paper  not  being 
evidence  even  when  shewn. 

Early  in  the  election  lie  permitted  this  class  to  go  homo. 
fetch  the  paper,  and  return  and  vote;  but  afterwards  he 
laid  down  a  rule,  that  if  they  had  it  not  with  them  when 
asked,  they  could  not  return  and  vote. 

There  are  many  cases  to  be  cited — your  petitioner  will 
refer  only  to  two  at  this  time,  by  way  of  illustration  : 

Andrew  Cook,  father  ot  Jacob  Cook,  of  Cooksville,  one 
of  the  oldest  freeholders  in  the  Province,  and  who  had  vo 
ted  at  many  elections,  was  turned  from  the  hustings,  be- 
cause he  had  not  a  certificate  with  him.  although  he  offered 
to  take  the  oaths  required  by  the  statute. 

Wait  Sweet,  an  old  frcehoklor,  who  lias  been  half  a  century 
in  Upper  Canada,  and  voted  five  titnes  for  your  nelitioiier, 
who  took  the  oath  of  allegiance,  hcfore  Col.  Joel  Stone,  in 
1801,  and  served  in  the  last  war,  ollbred  to  vote,  and  asked  to 
have  the  oaths  required  or  prescribed  by  statute,  to  be  athnin- 
istered  to  him.  He  was  turned  from  the  hustings,  because  his 
certificate  was  not  in  his  pocket,  his  right  to  vole  denied,  and 
he  was  further  told  not  to  come  back.  Uut  he  soon  returned 
with  the  Colonel's  certificate  of  1801,  and  a  certificnte  ol'  his 
war  services,  and  he  was  turned  from  the  hustings,  and  liis 
vote  rejected  by  the  returning  officer,  who  even  re!'used  to  en- 
ter your  petitioner's  objections  on  the  poll  book. 


THE    LONfi    PARLIAMENT. 


143 


These  and  simihr  illegal  decisions,  discourngod  many  vo- 
ter;), wIjo  considered  lliiil  to  be  turned  away  from  the  poll  in 
presence  of  their  neighbors,  as  aliens,  was  an  insult  they 
could  not  well  brook. 

The  returning  oflicer  did  not  net  uniformly  on  any  rule — 
ho  turned  away  many  who  ofH-red  to  take  ihe  oaths — he  admit- 
ted others. 

Your  pctiiioncr^had  reason  to  believe  that  several  brothers — 
Messrs.  M'Grath — sons  to  the  Church  of  Kngland  Clergyman 
ill  'J'oronto,  one  of  them  a  l\)stina$t('r,  another  a  Court  of  Re- 
quests Commissioner,  Caplnin  of  a  troop  of  horse,  had  no  title 
to  tlic  property  they  voted  on,  the  title  t)eing  in  the  Crown,  of 
which  the  returning  ollicer  had  previously  been  apprized  by 
ihotn,  and  a  raorfgage  intervening.  Two  of  them  would  nut 
answer  any  question  put  to  them,  either  by  candidates  or  re- 
Hiriiing  oflicer,  arul  the  latter  decided  that  they  might  vote  on 
t;iking  the  oaihs.  which  they  did,  and  voted  for  Mr.  Thomson; 
while  those  of  iMessrs.  Sweet,  Cook,  and  many  more,  were 
refused,  although  tendered  by  old  and  undoubted  freeholders, 
who  were  also  ready  to  be  sw  )rn. 

After  tiie  returning  officer  had  acted,  for  days,  on  his  rule, 
that  no  person  born  in  a  foreign  country,  should  vote  without  a 
nertificate,  a  violent  parlizan  of  the  Executive,  Jacob  I).  Mn- 
gcrman,  came  forward,  admitted  he  was  born  in  Germany, 
produced  no  certificate,  and  although  it  is  understood  that  he 
and  his  brother,  who  voted  out  of  the  same  lot,  came  in  after 
1827,  and  have  not  been  naturalized,  his  vote  for  Mr.  Thom- 
son was  recorded. 

One  Henry  Miller,  a  drunken,  disorderly  character,  who 
had  been  disturbing  the  poll  for  some  time,  and  who  has  been 
often  in  the  House  of  CorrecMion  here,  was  persuaded  to  tender 
his  vote  for  Mr.  Thomson — but  although  it  was  very  doubtful 
whether  ho  was  aware  of  the  nature  of  the  oaths  lie  took,  and 
there  was  little  reason  to  believe  him  a  freeholder,  his  vote 
was  at  once  recorded. 

Postmasters  and  other  dependent  persons,  excluded  by  the 
laws  of  England  (adopted  here)  from  interfering  at  elections, 
openly  busied  themselves,  electioneered  and  voted,  although 
your  petitioner  objected  to  these  proceedings. 

Other  officers  of  the  Government  subscribed  money,  and  ac 
lively  busied  themselves  at  the  election.  Funds  were  collected 
from  persons  connected   with  the  Executive  and  others,  and 


m^ 


■■>  i. 


t,  . 


;   t 


n 


i 


144 


TllK    LONG    PAULIAMKNT 


1*1 


employed  in  collecting,  bringing  up,  treating  and  intoxiealing 
voters  agninsl  your  jjciitioncr — in  keeping  taverns  uirj  .„j(. 
Iiousfs,  lliu  resort  ot'  worthless  and  tlisunNjrly  pt'rson.s,  ope;], 
frcG  ofco.st,  to  tlioui — and  in  colN-efiiig  bullies  and  men  (jf  li;ul 
repute  ab.mt  the  busliugs,  to  llic  terror  of  peaceable  laiiricr?, 
Priests,  pensioned  and  iiired  by  ui(»n<'y  |)aid  liiein,  by  his 
Excelio!:cy  and  biy  government,  l)U.s:<:d  lliemselv.s  tt)  pn.'vctit 
the  freedom  of  election,  and  to  bias   tiie  m  lais  of   (bo  elect. 


)|:s. 


VVilJKim  r>.   Jarvis,  I'lStnuro,  Siioriti' of  ibis   District,  in 


cr, 


rod  openly  at  tb',-  (dcetion — stood  al  (be  bu^lings  witb  a  wliii 
in  bis  bi.nd,  and  baiangued  tbo:>e  present,  rt  uiiniliiig  tbeiii  ii,n[  l:'C[ 
tbo  rei'irnicrs  vveio  tliidr  enemies,  and  mu.st  be  put  down,  i!- 
tbcii  cuiiie  f'jrward  as  a  voter,  an.l  m  idu  use  of  niosi  viil.:'.: 
and  intt-mperafe  language,  calculated  to  pruniote  diciiirbuucc, 
This  coiiduct  the  returniu/T  odieer  did  not  cbovdv. 


And 


our  pLtitioiior   IS  auvis(jn,    l:ial   tjio  sauj    hdw-irM  \\ 


\\"\ 


iiam  Tb'Mnson  was  ;i  parts,  i:i  S(.:veral    iu'-tanees,  (•)  t!i(!  tr;:i; 


»ng, 


b 


ri'jcrv,    tbroiat; 


wbicli  c  'iiiulaiiit  is  b 


jrouuscs, 


ml    otlie 


llleir 


|!.M).- 


re  1  n 


made;   a::d  be   contend  ;   thai  jlic;  n. 


turn  of   tiie   said  iMward    W'illia: 


tb 


•t  I 


n    Tbo.nson,  as  a  m./iub-r 
1, 


serve  m  iuvs  presort  farliauK.-nt,  is  illegal,  V'.»ia,  aii'i  uiie  ,:i-i 
tutional,  because  !io  wus  not  (dected  by  ibe  <^r(\ite ;:  n.iinb.ir  i 


quaii; 


■i|  voN'S  ol   tl 


s;uu    liKimi 


;i8  there  is  ;v  mij  »iil_,-  oi  ilio 
said  .otes  in  favor  (ii'  your  priitioncr — because  the  (.''(M.'tinii 
was  ivii  lawi'ully  condueteil,  but  int(.'rfc!rod  witb  by  the  Li.m!. 
Govcrij    r  and  liis  (jfiiecrs,  by  tlie  Oraufije  io;|u;^;s,  by  th 


c;  iri;;i* 


ing,   fiM;-;<  tiiul  \  ii)!eiice,  and   bv  tlu*  i)artia!ify  and  injustice  ui 
ibo  returning  oiliecr. 

Bribery,  intin^ddation  and   violence,  .".:•  we" 


as  liie  unjonsi 


tutional  exorcise  of  the  Royal  [)rorogativo  and  the  Kxeciiiiv 
iniluenco,  were  means  made  uso  of  to  induce  -doctors  to  vo; 
against  your  petitioner,  or  to  prevent  their  voting  fir  iii  i; 
means  utterly  sul)ver'.dve  of  the  freedom  ami  purity  of  el, 
Your  oetiorier  further   rei)rese)its.  tlint  t'le  freeijom  a.n 


(.Liu; 


li 


election  and  t!)':>  rig!)!  s  of  t':»( 


M'S    V 


vore  M'), 


rity  oi 

by  combinations  <d'  persons  in  ilie^id  socdeties,   known  b 


V  i: 


n 


[ur.e  ol"  C)ran;]:e  Lruloros,  formed  for  i)o!it!(;al  nurnoses,  .s.'cr 


I' 


Iv,  if  n   t  openly  countenanced   by    Ids  bixcellency,    the   iAv.a'. 


(lOver 
oth 


i.>r 


and   usually  beaded   and    aidt'd   by  mas'istrat 


'•s 


.),,>! 


cr  oirice-noiuers,  and  exeiCiStn; 


v  means  ol 


the 


i:i.'i^i 


nsseciritions,   an    unconstitutional    iiower   and    iiiiluenco  in  the 


said  eb.etio 


n. 


Your  pi 
•ho  said  K 
void,  by  r 
\\ow  elect i 
jnd  fairly 
nor,  his  ol 
I'ijrred  to, 
known,  an 
secure  to  t 
representa 
An( 


Torori 

This  vva 
*,hc  dead  ol 
sing  or  ev;: 
Thoy  knev 
prove  the  ( 
ho  was  car 
and  other  i 
2i'iice  them 
lliroughout| 
therefore 
alls  of  Co  I 
ever,  aftei 
ol*  Jan- y, 
zicfind  th 
corrupt  h( 
like  a  c;ian 
declared  li 
givG  secur 
bers  remit 
Si.'lectod  fr 
the  most  c 
against  fl( 
or  no  ex[ 
said:  ''thr 
but  old,  w 
ernor's  ch 
'hirst  not 
The  true 


lormers. 


THE   LONO    rARLIAMFNT. 


149 


Your  petit ionor  humbly  prnys,  that  tljo  election  and  rclurn  of 
•ho  said  Edward  William  Thomson,  mny  bo  doclarod  null  and 
void,  by  reason  ol'  ibe  matters  liercin  bel'eio  contained;  that  a 
iio\v  election  may  lake  place,  j;o  that  the  people  may  be  truly 
ind  fairly  n  presented;  thut  the  conduct  ot'  the  Lieut.  Gover- 
nor, his  otTicers,  the  returning  onicer  and  others,  as  above  rfi- 
forrcd  to,  may  l)e  carefidly  inquired  into,  tlie  result  made 
known,  and  such  proceedings  had,  if  found  necessary,  as  shall 
Isc'cuio  to  tlio  electors,  in  all  time  to  come,  a  freo  and  faithful 
representation  in  the  Legislature. 

And  your  petitioner  will  ever  ])rav, 

W.m.'L.  MACKENZIE. 
Toronto,  2{)lh  Dec,  1836." 

This  was  like  a  voice  from  the  dead,  or  as  a  tliunder-bolt  in 
*.hc  dead  of  winter.     There  was  no  plausible  groimd  for  refu- 
sing or  evadinsj  this  petition  of  their  uncompromsing  enemy. 
They  knew   the   man  and   dreaded   his  ability  to  expose   and 
provu  tho  Governor's  guilt,  as  well  as  th^ir  own.     Tlii-y  knew 
iiG  was  capable  of  proving  facts,   respecting  thf;  lalc^  elections 
andotlier  government  corruptions,  wliich  would  eternally  dis- 
?race  them,  in   the  eyes  of  every   honest  and   impartial  man, 
throughout  the   world,   were  he  permitted  a  bearing.      It  was 
thereibro  sickening,  tov/itness  tlu;  tniuerable  shifts,  these  iack- 
:i!ls  of  corruption  adopftul  to  prevent  an  invc-liri^ation.     How- 
ever, after  mueh  wranorhnsf  and  manfeuvrin'ij,  Fi'\l,iv  the  27tlj 
ol'Jan'y,  was  fixed  for  the  linal  (Migagement,  bj^twccn  McKen- 
zicand  the  fri(;nds  of  justice  on  the  one  side,  and  Gov.  Head's 
corrupt  household   troops   on  the  other.      iMcKenzie  appeared 
like  a  giant  refreshed  with  new  wine,  impatient  for  the  contest; 
.Jeclared  himself  ready   to  produce  evidence  on   oath,    and  to 
give  security  to  abide  by  the  conse(juence.     The  reform  mem- 
bers remiiuled  the  House  that  the  2d  Riding  of  York  had  been 
dected  from  a  hundred  olhnr  places  in  tiie  Province,  as  being 
the  most  convenient  to  the  City,  and   from   whence   witnesses 
against  Head  and  his  corrupt  agents,    could  be  brought  ai  little 
or  no  expense  to  the  public.     They  pointed   to  the  FJar  and 
said:  "there  stantls   McKenzie's  securities;  no  men  of  straw, 
but  old,  wealthy  and  res[)cctable   freeiiolders."     But  the  Gov- 
ernor's champions,  Draper  and  Hagerman,  sat  confounded  and 
'hirst  not  look  that   way.     The   scene  was  highly  interesting. 
The  true  rej)rescntatives  of  the  people,   the  little  band  of  re- 
iormers,  looked   with  contempt,   at  the    slavish    and    craven 
13 


'l>    : 


..     i 


Hi 


!l 


4 


nf 


150 


THE   LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


1,^;;  .J^- 


t.»»' 


4 


•    :  '1: 


spirits  opposite  to  them.     With  pride  and  exultation  they  loo! 
edat  Mr.  McKenzie,  defying  the  whole  host  of  official  corru 
tionists,    with  a   **dare  ye  go  to  trial."      Old  Judge    Jonas 
Jones,  with  his  six  Judgships,   hung  his  head  and  ate  his  own 
words;  Ogle  R.  Gowan  and  W.  Chisholm  became  invisible;— 
poor  Baby  Sherwood,  with  his  upper  lip  double  reefed,  and 
♦♦dumrne  Draper  licked  the  kitchen  soup  plates,  obeyed  orders 
and  were  tremblingly  mute!     While  in  this  slate  of  despai 
Speaker  McLean,   after  much  study,  discovered  a  loop-hola 
through  which  to  escape.     It  was  this:  The  law  requires  the 
person  contesting  an  election,  or  his  attorney,  to  appear  at  the 
bar  of  the  Elouse  and  give  security  for  costs,  within  fourteen 
days  after  the  first  reading  of  his  petition.     The  Speaker  is 
bound,  at  the  same  time,  by  the  same  law,  to  give  the  con- 
plainant,    or    his  attorney,    due   notice,   in    writing,   that  his 
petition  was  received  and  read.     He  is  also  to  notify  the  peti 
tioner,  or  his  attorney,  the  day  and  hour  on   which  the  case 
should  come  before  the  House;  and  if  the  complainant  or  his 
agent,  neglected  to  appear  at  the  time  appointed,  he  should  be 
debarred  of  any  future  remedy.     McKenzie  presented  his  peti 
tion  in  proper  form,  but  it  was  not  read  until  the  second  day 
after  its  presentation;  consequently  Mr.  McKenzie  counted  the 
time  from  its  reading,  and  did  not  appear  with  his  securities 
until  the  last  day.     The  Speaker,  on  his  part,  either  design- 
edly or  unwittingly,  neglected  to  give  the  usual  notice  required 
by  law.     Notwithstanding  this,  backed  by  a  majority  of  tlie 
tory  members,   he  insisted  that  the  act   meant  fourteen  days 
from  the  time  the  petition  was  introduced  to  the  House,  and 
not  fourteen  days  from   its  first  reading,  and  that,  therefore, 
Mr.  McKenzie  was  two  days  too  late.     In  vain  the  reform 
members  pleaded  that  McKenzie  was,  to  all  intents  and  purpo- 
ses, within  the  limits  prescribed  by  the   Provincial  act  of  the 
4th  of  Geo.  4th,  chap.  4th,  especially  as  the  Speaker  neglected, 
on  his  pan,    to   give  the   notice   required   by  law.     It  availed 
nothing  to   remind  the  well  drilled  majority,  that  Speaker  Mc- 
Lean's fourteen  days  were  only  twelve  of  the  days  allowed  in 
all  time  past;  that  their  proceedings  carried  extreme  partiality 
and  injustice  on  their  very  face;  that  their  vote  to  crush  inqui- 
ry would  be,  with  the  public,  their  sentence  of  condemnation; 
but  they  were  alike  deaf  to  reason  and  justice.     When  the 
yeas  and  nays  were  taken,  fifteen  were  for  inquiry,  thirty-two 


The  peo 

that  had  n 

that  McKc 

to  disgrac 

allowed  h 

contest  wl 

of  this,  th 

defeated 

this  scene 

ven  up. 

complaint 

insulted  a 

moted  to  1 

hv  a  cliqi 

svho,  sett 

their  own 

welfare. 


agamst 


It. 


n  they  look 
iciul  corrup 
"fJge    Jonai 
ate  his  own 
invisible;— 
reefed,  and 
>eyed  orders 
of  despair, 
a  loop-hol'i 
requires  the 
ppear  at  the 
I* in  fourteen 
Speaker  is 
ve  the  cori- 
ng,  that  his 
tify  the  peti- 
ich  the  case 
linant  or  his 
le  should  be 
ited  his  peli- 
second  day 
I  counted  the 
bis  securities 
ither  design- 
tice  required 
jority  of  the 
ourtoen  days 
House,  and 
t,  therefore, 
I  the  reform 
s  and  purpo- 
il  act  of  the 
3r  neglected, 
It  availed 
Speaker  Mc- 
s  allowed  in 
fne  partialiiy 
crush  inqiii- 
ndemnation; 
When  the 
y,  thirty-two 


THE    LONG    PARLIAMENT. 


151 


The  people  of  the  Province  were  now  thoroughly  convinced, 
that  had  not  the  Governor  and  his  party  known,  to  a  certainty, 
that  McKenzie,  instead  of  failing,  would  bring  evidence  enough 
to  disgrace  them  in  the  eyes  of  all  America,  they  would  have 
allowed  him  to  go  on,  and  ruin  himself  with  the  expense  of  a 
contest  which  would  have  exceeded  2,000  dollars.  But  instead 
of  this,  they  ignobly  crept  out  of  the  small  end  of  the  horn, 
defeated  the  ends  of  justice  and  disgraced  themselves.  After 
this  scene,  all  hopes  of  redress,  from  either  government,  were 
(riven  up.  The  people  saw  with  regret,  their  petitions  and 
complaints,  to  the  Imperial  Parliament,  spurned,  their  agents 
insulted  and  their  oppressors,  instead  of  being  punished,  pro 
moled  to  higher  honors.  They  saw  themselves,  also,  governed 
hy  a  clique  of  ruthless  tyrants,  over  whom  they  had  no  control; 
who,  setting  all  justice  at  defiance,  appeared  as  reckless  of 
their  own  character  as  they  were  regardless  of  their  country's 
welfare. 


:  f 


«  ill  !.l 


"1 
(.■Sir 


h 


"^1^ 


*-.| 


'i    il 


; 


iil 


1l-. 


m  ■ 


i;  i* 


\W^.,  .-^T 


pi!;: 


■,    I 


il'     I      •rl 


\:' 


1'^  i 


1 


)^- 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Great  excitement  t.'iroughout  the  Province. 

Every  moral  and  constitutional  means  beini,^  now  ex 
hausted,  the  people  began  to  prepare  for  tlie  \vor>t.  Uuinii 
meetings  were  iortliwith  held  in  every  township,  and  tlii; 
ibllov/ing  resolutions  adopted: 

"That  the  shulUing  meanness  and  duplicity  of  the  coloiiifii 
ofiice,  evidenced  in  the  contemptuous  treatment  of  our  ac- 
credited a:xents  and  petitions  and  the  cordial  ruceptioii  oi 
the  hireling  enemies  of  the  people,  have  precluded  all  hope 
of  redress  from  that  quarter  ;  and  thrown  reformers  on  their 
own  resources  lor  the  means  of  freeing  themselves  from  the 
grasp  of  a  vile  tory  faction,  and  securing  themselves  and 
posterity  the  blessings  of  peace  and  freedom. 

"Tliat  the  corr-  nt  and  imbecile  majority  of  the  present 
•'bread  and  butt.  ^isembly  being  elected  in  direct  opposi- 
tion to  the  wishi:  uf  the  main  body  of  the  people,  by  the 
most  villianous  and  dis2:raceful  means,  and  haviniif,  on  tho 
demise  of  the  late  king  unconstitutionally  lengthened  out 
their  existence,  in  contradiction  to  all  precedents  on  simi- 
lar occasions,  we  will  not  consider  any  laws  they  may  pass 
as  valid  or  binding  on  the  inhabitants  of  this  Province. 

"That  our  present  Lieutenant  Governor,  by  his  wicked- 
ly" and^  corruptly  interfei  iuL''  with  the  election  ; — liis  hy- 
pocracy,  ]irevarication  and  numerous  perversions  of  fucts. 
as  in  the  case  of  the  Bond  andoranije  societies;  his  peurile 
vacillatiniT  policy  towards  the  best  interests  of  the  country, 
has  forfeited  all  pretensions  to  the  distinguished  characteris- 
tics of  a  gentlemen,  and  to  all  political  sagacity  as  a  states- 
man. 

"That  the  thanks  of  this  meetinsf  are  eminently  due  to 
Dr.  Charles  Duncomlie,  one  of  our  worthy  representatives. 
for  his  able  and  hifdilv  talented  defence  of  the  risrhts  of  the 


M  J. 


1      '■. 


m   BOTH    PROVINCES. 


153 


people,his  promptitude  in  repairing  to  England,at  the  request 
of  the  reformers  of  Upper  Canada  to  lay  before  the  British 
authorities  the  disgraceful  and  corrupt  means  employed  by 
Sir  F.  B.  Head  at  the  late  general  elections  to  secure  the  re- 
turn of  the  present  "bread  and  butter"  parliament  whose 
base  libel  on  his  character  we  repel  with  the  contempt  it 
deserves. 

"That  the  original  intention  of  institutions  for  the  pur- 
poses of  government,  being  found  on  reciprocal  support  and 
benefit ;  when  the  government  party  become  destroyeis  in- 
stead of  supporters^  an  injury  in  place  of  a  benefit,  the  com- 
pact is  virtually  dissolved,  and  the  oppressed  have  an  un- 
doubted right  to  adopt  any  and  every  means  for  the  main- 
tenance of  their  lights  and  privileges. 

That  in  accordance  with  the  example  of  the  wise  men 
and  heroes  of  1776,  we  iiold  as  self  evident  truths  : — that 
they  are  endowed  by  their  Creator,  with  certain  inalienable 
mhis',  that  amons*  the  number  of  these  rights  are  life,  liber- 
imd  the  pursuit  of  happiness  ;  that  it  is  for  the  protection 
and  security  of  these  rights,that  governments  were  instituted 
among  men;  deriving  their  just  authority  only  from  the  con- 
sent of  the  governed  ;  that  whenever  any  form  of  govern- 
ment becomes  destructivie  of  these  ends,  it  is  the  right  of 
the  people  to  alter  or  abolish  it,  or  to  institute  a  new  govern- 
ment, laying  its  foundation  on  such  principles,  and  organ- 
ising its  powers  after  such  form,  as  to  them,  shall  seem  best 
adapted  to  secure  their  safety  and  happiness. 

"That  instead  of  honestly  redressing  our  grievances  and 
abuses,  as  in  duty  bound,  the  British  government  and  the 
two  houses  of  Imperial  parliament,  have  destroyed  the  fun- 
damental rights  of  the  colony,  in  order  to  reduce  and  force 
the  people  into  a  base  subjection  to  the  oppressions  which 
are  preparing  for  them:  that  having  exhausted  the  cu'p  of  re- 
conciliation to  the  very  dregs,wedo  now,henceforth,and  for- 
ever, renounce  all  intercourse  with  the  British  government 
—that  we  will  arm  ourselves  with  rifes  or  muskets,  and 
maintain  our  political  and  religious  rights  inviolate,  at  all 
hazards,  let  the  consequence  be  what  they  may." 

Such,  at  this  lime,  was  the  state  of  public  feeling  in  both 
provinces.     In   the  .Midland,  New  Castle,  Home,  Niagara 


:^;i',i 


,lf 


n 


I..:'' 


4 


'■    4 


I    1 

'    I 


13 


'.■>* 


:\IV 


r: ; 


n^ 


11 , '. 


154 


GREAT    EXCITEMENT. 


Gore,  London  and  Western  dislricty,  the  people  were  armin-T 
l^hemseives,  and  drillniir  in  sniall  companies,  in  the  t'aceol 
the  iiuthonlies. 

On  the  I3th  Nov.  1S37,  a  large  convention  ol  the  free- 
holders i'annc'rs,  nicchanifs  and  other  iniiahitants  oi' Toron- 
to, met  at  the  Koyal  Oak  Hotel,  to  consider  of,  and  take 
uieasrires  fjr  eiibctnally  niaintaininu^  in  the  colony  a  frw 
constitution  and  rieinocratic  fo  rni  of  i^^overnnient. 

Previous  to  the  adoption  of  the  constitution,  tlie  iamoiis 
aiid  spirited  address  of  the  confederation  of  tlio  sixcouutiej^ 
to  iiie  people  of  Canada  was  read  as  Ibllows  : 

Fkllow  OiTizKNs  : — When  a  systematic  course  of  op- 
pression has  heen  invariably  harrrassino;  a  people,  despite 
of  their  wishes,  expressed  in  every  manner,  recos^nised  by 
constitutional  usao;e,  by  popular  assemblies,  and  by  then 
representatives  in  parliament,  after  grave  deliberatio:i 
wiien  their  rulers,  instead  of  redressing  their  various  evils, 
produced  by  their  ow^n  miso;overnmeiit,  have  solemnly  en- 
registered  and  proclaimed  thou*  guilty  determination  to  sap 
and  subvert  the  very  foundations  of  civil  liberty,  it  becomes 
the  imperative  duty  of  the  people  to  betake  themselves  to  the 
serious  consideration  of  their  unfortunate  position;  of  the 
danglers  by  which  they  are  surrounded — and  by  well  con- 
certed organizations,  to  make  such  arrangements,  as  may 
be  necessary  to  protect,  unimpaired  their  rights  ns  citizens 
and  their  dignity  as  freemen. 

The  wise  and  immortal  framers  ofthe  American  decla- 
ration ol  independence,  embodied  in  that  document  the  prin- 
ciples on  which  alone  are  based  the  rights  of  man,  and  suc- 
cessfully vindicated  and  established  the  only  institutions 
and  form  of  government,  which  can  permanently  secure 
the  prosperity  and  social  happiness  of  the  inhabitants  of 
this  continent,  whose  education  and  habits,  derived  from 
the  circumstance  of  their  colonization,  demand  a  system  of 
government  entirely  dependent  upon,  and  directly  respon- 
sible to,  the  people. 

In  common  with  the  various  nations  of  North  and  South 
America  who  have  adopted  the  principles  contained  in  that 
declaration,  we  hold  the  same  holy  and  self  evident  doc- 
trines, that  God  created  no  artificial  distinctions  between 


^'^!     II 


J  ii  ( 


IN    BOTH    PKOVINCKS. 


155 


sre  arminor 


(iinti  and  man  ;  that  government  is  but  a  mere  liuman  in- 
siitutioii  formed  by  those  who  are  to  l)e  subject  to  its  good 
or  evil  action  ;  intended  for  the  bt-neht  oC  ail  who  may  con- 
sent to  come,  or  remain  nnder,  its  protection  and  control; 
unci  therelore,  that  its  Ibrm  may  l)e  cfiauiicd  whenever  it 
ceases  to  accomphsh  the  ends  ior  w  hieli  sncli  iiovernment 
u'us  estabhslied;  that  pnbiic  anihonties  iind  men  in  ollice, 
arc  but  the  executors  of  the  expri-ssed  will  ol'  the  commu- 
nity, honored,  because  they  possiss  public  cc^ntidence, 
respected  only  so  loner  as  they  commiiiid  pul)lic  esteem,  and 
10  be  removed  from  ollice  the  n)onienl  they  cease  to  crive 
^atislaciion  to  tlie  people,  the  soiu  li'Liiiniatc  source  of  all 
power.  In  conformity  with  ti.csc  |  linciplcs,  and  on  the 
(aitli  of  treaties  and  capitulations  (Ut*  red  into  with  our  an- 
(cstors,  and  guarrantied  by  the  imperial  Pariiament,  the 
jieople  of  this  Province  have  lor  a  loiio'  series  of  years  com- 
plained b,y  respectful  petitions  of  the  intolerable  abuses 
which  poison  tb.eir  existence  and  [)aralyse  their  industry. 
Far  from  considerini:  our  hun.l^ie  prayers,  a,Li<iression  has 
tollowed  aiioiession,  until  at  ieuirlh  we  seem  no  longer  to 
belong  to  ibi3  British  enjpn-e  tor  our  own  happiness  or  pros- 
perity, our  iVeedom  or  the  honor  of  tlie  British  crown  or 
people,  but  solely  for  tlie  juip-ose  of  fattening  a  horde  of 
useless  oilicials,  who  not  content  with  enjoying  salaries  en- 
omiously  disproportioned  to  the  duties  of  their  ofiices,  and 
10  the  resouices  of  the  country,  have  combined  as  a  faction, 
iinited  Ijy  private  interest  alone,  to  oppose  all  reforms  in  the 
Province,  and  to  uphold  the  inirpiities  of  a  ofovernment  ini- 
mical to  the  rjo'hts  and  liberties  of  this  colony. 

Notw  iih>tanding,  the  universally  .-idmitted  justice  of  our 
demands,  and  the  wisdom  and  prudence  of  remedying  our 
complaints,  we  still  endure  the  misery  ol  an  irresponsible  ex- 
ecutive, directed  by  an  ignorant  and  hypocritical  chief ; — 
our  judges  dependent  for  the  tenure  of  their  office  on  the 
mere  will  and  pleasure  of  the  crown;  for  the  most  part  the 
violent  partisans  of  a  corrupt  administration,  have  become 
more  completely  the  tools  and  mercenaries  of  the  executive 
hy  adopting  the  wages  of  their  servility,  in  gross  violation 
of  every  principle  of  judicial  independence,  from  foreign 
authority,  without  the  intervention  of  the  people  to  whom, 


Vjij'  |l 


m 


II.  1 


'  t 


i      M 


.-    !: 


ill     .-s'^ 
ill-'  X 


|^....hM 


'ill 


i 


il'i 


l!'i 


^^ 


(i 


i  i' 


re 

lii-  '1  ■: 
1»i  ff  1. 


1^       , 


156 


ADDaESS   TO   THE    PEOPLE 


through  their  representatives,  belongs  the  sole  right  of  vo- 
ting tlie  salaries  of  their  pubHc  servants;  the  office  holders 
of  the  province  devour  our  revenues  in  salaries  so  extrava- 
gant as  to  deprive  us  of  the  funds  requisite  for  the  general 
improvement  of  the  country,  whereby  our  puhhc  works  are 
arrested,  and  the  navigation  of  our  rivers  continue  obstruct- 
ed ;  a  iegisliitive  council  appointed  by  men  resident  three 
thousancf  miles  from  this  country,  and  syslematicnlly  com- 
posed so  us  to  thwart  and  oppose  the  efforts  of  our  freely 
chosen  representatives  in  all  measures  for  the  promotion  of 
the  public  good,  after  continuing  unchanged  during  the 
present  administration,  thereby  depriving  the  country  of 
the  advantages  of  domestic  legislation  has  at  length  been 
modified  in  a  manner  insulting  to  all  classes  of  society,  dis- 
graceful to  morality,  and  to  the  annihilation  ofthe  respect 
and  confidence  of  all  parties  in  that  branch  of  the  legisla- 
ture, by  the  introduction  of  men  for  the  most  part  notorious 
only  for  their  incapacity,  and  remarkable  alone  for  their 
political  insignificance,  thus  making  evident  even  to  demon- 
stration, to  all,  whatever  may  be  their  preconceived  opin- 
ions the  propriety  and  urgent  necessity  of  introducing  the 
principle  of  election  into  that  body,  as  the  only  method  of 
enabling  the  Provincial  Legislature  to  proceed  beneficially 
to  the  despatch  of  public  business. 

Our  municipalities  are  utterly  destroyed  ;  the  country 
parts  of  this  province,as  a  disgraceful  exception  to  the  other 
parts  of  this  continent,  are  totally  deprived  of  all  power  of 
regulating,  in  a  corporate  capacity,  their  local  aifairs.  thro' 
freely  elected  parish  and  township  officers;  the  rising  gene 
ration  are  deprived  of  the  blessings  of  education,  the  prima- 
ry schools  which  provided  for  the  instruction  of  fifty  thou- 
sand children  bavins:  been  shut  up  by  the  Len^islative 
Council,  a  body  hostile  to  the  progress  of  useful  knowledgCj 
and  instigated  in  this  act  by  an  Executive  inimical  to  the 
spread  of  general  information  among  the  people.  The  Je- 
suit's College,  founded  and  endowed  by  the  provident  gov- 
ernment which  colonized  this  Province  for  the  eiiconrage- 
ment  and  dissemination  of  learning  and  the  sciences  there- 
in, has,  with  a  barbarism  unworthy  the  rulers  of  a  civilized 
state— disgraceful  to  the  age  in  which  we  live,  and  unpar- 


ADDRESS    TO    THE    PEOPLE. 


157 


alleled  even  among  the  Goths  and  Vandals,  been  converted 
iatOj  and  is  still  retained,  as  a  barrack  lor  soldiery,  whilst 
the  lands  and  property  devoted  to  the  support  of  this  and 
Mmilar  institutions  huvc  been,  and  conliiuie  to-be,  squan- 
dered and  mal  administered  ibr  the  iidvanlage  oi.'  tlie  favor- 
ites, creatures  and  tools  oi  the  governmont.  Our  citizens 
are  deprived  of  the  benefits  of  imjjartjoily  chosen  juries, 
uiid  are  arbitrarily  persecuted  by  tlie  (Jrown  oJiicers,  who, 
to  suit  the  purposes  of  the  vnidiciive  govcrnrnear  ofwhicli 
ilieyarc  the  creatures,  have  revived  proceedings  of  an  ob- 
solete character,  precedents  for  which  are  to  1)0  iound  only 
ill  the  darkest  pao-es  of  British  history.  Thus,  our  judicia- 
ry being  sullied  by  combined  conspiiacies  oi*  a  wicked  Ex- 
ecutive, slavish  judges,  partizan  law  oiiJcers,  and  political 
sheriifs,  the  innocent  and  patriotic  are  exposed  to  be  sacrifi- 
ced, whilst  the  enemies  of  the  country,  and  the  violators  of 
all  law,  are  protected  and  patronised  accordinij  as  it  may 
plense  the  administration  to  crush  and  destroy,  to  save  and 
jHOtect.  Our  commerce  and  domestic  industry  are  para- 
lysed;  our  public  lands  alienated,  at  a  nominal  ])rice,  to  a 
company  of  speculators,  strangers  to  the  country;  or  be- 
stowed upon  insolent  favorites  as  a  reward  for  tiieir  syco- 
))haiicy  :  our  money  extorted  from  us  without  our  consent, 
by  taxes  unconstitutionally  imposed  by  a  foreign  Parlia- 
ment, to  be  afterwards  converted  into  an  instrument  of  our 
decrradation  by  being  distributed  among  a  howling  herd  of 
oflicials,  against  our  will,  without  our  participation,  and  in 
violation  of  all  the  principles  of  constitutional  lav/. 

In  the  midst  of  their  honest  and  unwearied  efforts  to 
I'rocure  a  redress  o^  the  foregoing  grievances,  our  fellow 
citizens,  liave  been  insolently  called  upon,  to  give  an  ac- 
count  of  their  conduct  for  attending  public  meetings,  for 
which  they  were  responsible  to  no  individual,  least  of  all 
to  the  person  whom  chance  or  ministerial  patronage  may 
place  for  a  season  at  the  head  of  our  Provincial  govern- 
ment. Our  citizens  have  been  harr;>ssed  and  annoyed  by 
dismissals,  because  they  vindicated  tb;  ri^-hts  of  this  coun- 
try, like  American  freemen.  And  as  an  index  of  further 
intended  njjgression,  armed  troops  are  being  scattered  in 
time  of  profound  peace  througliout  the  country,  \yit;h  the 


1     » 


H 


J;i 


II- 


I 


•  t< 


'■  I 


W  I 


I'H 


158 


ADDRESS    TO   THE    PEOPLE. 


presumpluous  and  wicked  design  of  restricting  by  physical 
force  tlje  expression  of  public  opinion,  and  of  completing 
by  violence  and  bloodshed  our  slavery  and  ruin,  already 
determined  beyond  the  seas. 

Such  an  aggression  as  this  might  justify  the  recourse,  on 
the  part  of  an  outraged  people,  to  all  and  every  means  to 
preserve  the  last  of  their  insulted  privileges — the  right  to 
complain.  But  thanks  to  the  blindness  of  the  agtrressors, 
the  wickedness  of  the  measure  will  be  providentially  neu- 
tralised by  its  folly.  The  regiments  about  to  be  quartered 
among  us  are  composed  of  men  sprung  from  and  educated 
with  the  democracy  of  their  country.  They  lor  tlie  most 
part  entered  on  their  present  profession,  not  from  choice, 
but  because  they  could  not  find  any  other  employment  iu 
their  native  land.  Instead  of  being  stimulated  to  good  con- 
duct by  the  hope  of  promotion  ;  too  poorly  paid;  they  are 
exposed  to  every  sort  of  petty  tyranny,  and  if  a  murmur 
escape  their  lips,  they  are  subjected  like  the  bonded  slave, 
to  the  io^noble  punishment  of  the  lash.  Contrasting  this 
ihard  fate  with  the  freedom,  content,  employment  and  high 
'wages  to  be  obtained  in  the  United  States,  and  certain  that 
the. inhabitants  of  these  counties  lying  near  and  bordering 
■upon  the  lines  will  not  impede  the  efforts  which  these  sol- 
diers may  make  to  emigrate  to  the  neighboring  republic,  it 
will  become  morally  impossible  to  keep  in  her  majesty's 
Province,  whilst  scattered  in  detachments,  the  men  who 
are  now  about  to  be  the  vile  instruments  of  our  slavery  and 
their  own  dishonor. 

The  long  and  heavy  chain  of  abuses  and  oppressions, 
under  wliich  we  suffer,  and  to  which  every  year  has  only 
added  a  more  galling  link,  prove  that  our  history  is  more 
*han  a  recapitulation  of  what  other  colonies  have  endured 
before  us.  Our  grievances  are  a  second,  but  a  far  more 
bulky  edition  of  their  suffering.  Our  petitions  for  relief  are 
the  same.  Like  theirs,  they  have  been  treated  with  scorn 
and  contempt,and  have  brous^ht  down  on  the  petitioners  but 
additional  outrage  and  persecution.  Thus  the  experience 
of  the  past  demonstrates  the  folly  of  expecting  justice  from 
European  authorities. 

Dark  and  unpromising  as  may  be  the  present  prospect  of 


this  our  1: 
virtues  c 
regenerai 
has  denit 
us  as  sei 
when  th« 
the  shad( 
union  an 
foreign  b 
but  a  tan 
assertion 
wliatever 
i|ual  lawi 
withindi 
to  which 
been  just 
rity  prep 
Province 
;ind  of   t 
you,  wf5 
tion  in  \ 
which  c{ 
fill  domi 
of  Vigil  a 
your  res 
deuce  fn 
will  be  s 
ble  in  yt 
the  exnn 
two  raoi 
useless  a 
of  their  ( 
try,  shoi 
of  their 
order  th 
and  effe 
rnilitian 
this  coi 
ciate  too 
security 


y  physical 
completing 
in,  aireaiiy 

^course,  on 
y  means  to 
le  right  to 
aggressors, 
itially  neu- 
e  quartered 
cl  educated 
r  I  lie  most 
'oni  choice, 
loyment  iu 
)  good  con- 
d,  they  are 
a  murmur 
nded  slave, 
rasting  this 
It  and  high 
certain  that 
d  bordering 
h  these  sol- 
republic,  it 
r  majesty's 
le  men  who 
slavery  and 

appressions, 
ar  has  only 
ory  is  more 
ive  endured 

a  far  more 
for  relief  are 

with  scorn 
titioners  but 
5  experience 
justice  from 

t  prospect  of 


ADDRESS    TO   THE    PEOPLE. 


15a 


this  our  beloved  country,  we  are  encouraged  by  the  public 
virtues  of  our  fellow  citizens,  to  hope  that  the  day  of  our 
regeneration  is  not  far  distant.     The  liriperial  Parliament 
has  denied  us  redress,  and  the  Canadian  authorities  treat 
us  as  serfs;  they  laugh  at  our  calamity — we  will  mock 
when  their  fear  cometh.     The  example  of  76  is  before  us; 
the  shades  of  the  political  martyrs  of  that  day  invoke  us  to 
union  and  action.     The  means  of  our  regeneration  from 
foreign  bondage  are  in  our  hands.    There  is  no  alternative 
hut  a  tame,  unmanly  submission,  or  a  bold  and   vigorous 
assertion  of  our  rights  as  freemen.     Brothers  in  affliction  ! 
whatever  be  your  origin,  language  or  religion,  to  whom  e- 
ijual  laws  and  rights  are  dear,  whose  hearts  have  throbbed 
with  indignation  whilst  witnessing  the  innumerable  insults 
to  which  your  country  has  been  exposed,  and   who  have 
been  justly  alarmed  while  pondering  over  the  sombre  futu- 
rity preparinij  by  mismanai>:ement  and  corruption  for  this 
Province  and  our  posterity — in  the  name  of  that  country 
iind  of   the  rising  generation,   now  having  no  hope  but  in 
yoii,  we  call  upon  you  to  assume,  by  systematic  oro:anisa- 
tion  in  your  several  townships  and  parishes,  that  position 
which  can  alone  procure  your  deliverance  '-from  the  bane- 
ful domination  of  the  mother  country.'*    Let  Committees 
of  Vigilance  be  at  once  put  in  active  operation  throughout 
your  respective  neighborhoods.     Withdrawing  all  confi- 
dence from  the  present  administration,  and  from  such  as 
will  be  so  base  as  to  accept  office  under  it,  forthwith  assem- 
ble in  your  parishes  and  elect  pacificator  magistrates,  after 
the  example  of  your  brother  reformers  in  the  county  of  the 
two  mountains,  in  order  to  |)rotect  the  people  at  once  from 
useless  and  improvident  expense,  and  from  the  vengeance 
oi  their  enemies.     Our  young  men,  the  hope  of  our  coun- 
try, should  every  where  orijanise  themselves,  after  the  plan 
of  their  brothers,  "The  Sons  of  Liberty"  in  Montreal,  in 
order  that  they  may  be  prepared   to  act  with   promptitude 
and  effect,  as  circumstances  may  require;  and  the  brave 
militiamen,  who  by  their  blood  and  valor  twice  preserved 
this  country  for  ungrateful  rulers,  should  at  once  asso- 
ciate toofether,  under  officers  of  their  own  choice,  for  the 
security  of  good  order,  and  the  protection  of  life  and  pro- 


i?l!.i 


:                         1 

f 

i 

!  'i 

1    1 


I 


160 


A  DDK  ESS    TO    THB    PEOPLE. 


31.      : 


1      ' 


It  '- 


i:'- . 

-!:/ 
}^i" 

ij: 

t 

'■>  ..'■ 

''  I 

!>' 

■ 

'*. 

_^'jfi 

perty  in  their  respective  localities.     Thus  prepared,  colo- 
nial  liberty  may  haply  yet  be  preserved. 
In  this  liope,  6c  depending  for  disenthralmentfrom  the  mis. 
rule  under  which  we  now<]^roan.  on  ^hc  providence  of  God 
whose  blessing'  on  our  disinterested  labors  we  humbly  im- 
plore ;  re  lyin;i^  on  tlie  love  of  liberty  which  the  free  air  and 
impregn.ihlo  iastnesses  of  America  should  inspire  in  the 
hearts  of  ihe  pt^ople  at  lar<>;e,  and  upon  t!ie  sympathy  of  our 
democratic  neiii-hbors,   who  will   never   consent  that  tin; 
principles   lor   which  they  successfnlly  struii^irled  in  the 
eiorhteenth,  shall,  in  our  persons,  be  trai.npl(3d  in  the  dust  in 
the  nineteenth  ceii^iiry. 

We,  tho  deloo-ates  of  the  confederated  counties,  here  pub. 
licly  re-jfistor  tiie  solenn  and  determined  resolution  of  tho 
people  whom  W(i  represent,  to  carry  into  effect,  with  (lie 
least  delay  possil||o,  the  precediniij  disiderata,  and  never 
to  cease  tliJir  patriotic  ex(^rtions,  until  a  cheap  responsible 
system  of  i-^ovornmont  is  procured.  We,  therefore,  invite 
our  fellow  citi/^iii-is  of  b.)th  Provinces,  to  unite  their  efforts 
with  our-,  ill  tlio  oreatand  irlorious  cause  of  g'ivinij  freedom 
to  our  common  country. 

[Si-nod.]  WOLFRED  NKLSON,  PresL 

A  Vi    lA  *  '  '  '    >  V. Presidents. 
r .  C  DiJVERT,  ^ 

A.  Girod.  )  ,^       _,     . 

T   D  o^./^i.  „  n  II     -n     >  Secretaries. 
J.  r.  liouclKT,  Kelleville,  ^ 

On  the  adoption  of  the  above,  sixty-seven  magistrates  re- 
signed  tiieir  commissions  for  the  peace,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty-si>:  ofFicors  of  the  militia  returned  their  com- 
missions to  t!io  Civil  Secretary  of  the  Lower  Province— 
the  militia  became  disori^unised  in  these  confederated  coun- 
ties. Immediately  succeeduisf  these  events,  a  great  reform 
meeting  was  held  in  Oakland,  U.  O.  on  Thnrsday  Nov.  2, 
wherein  the.  following  resoUuion  was  adopted: 

^^  Resoloert,  That  we  sympathise  with  the  snfferings  of 
our  Lower  (^anada  brethren,  and  view  with  abhorrence 
and  dis2:ust  the  knavish  resolutions  of  Lord  John  Russell. 
which  would  rob  a  whole  people  to  pamper  a  horde  of 
ruthless  oQicials;  we  applaud  and  admire  the  exertions  of 
Hon.  L.  J.  Papineau  and  the  reformers  of  the  Lower  Pro- 


ADDRESS    TO   THE    PEOPLE. 


161 


vince,  to  rescue  themselves  from  the  ranks  of  a  ruthless, 
blood-thirsty  party,  who,  under  the  assumed  name  of  "Bri- 
tish," would  perpetrate  oppression,  and  rejoice  in  the  degra- 
dation of  the  human  race  ;  that  we  approve  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  the  reformers  of  Toronto,  and  do  adopt  the  senti- 
ments therein  contained  as  our  sentiments,  and  will  con- 
tend for  the  sacred  principles  of  liberty  and  justice,  at  what- 
over  hazard  or  sacrifice." 

U 


-ii|  ■:, 


N 


'  t 


# 


:  I 


li 


I 


J  I'*      V 


u 


?  . 


;,  i:i 


'1 ' 


,  it  . 

'I  ' 


'I 

f 


I      I 


CHAP'nUlXVllI. 

A  Roview  of/lhe  caiHOs  wliicli  led   to  the  Insurrection  in  Lower  Canada, 
hy  tlie  IJon.  L.  J.  rapintau 


n 


Sixteen  years  airo  I  corri[)laiiied  to  Lord  Batlmrst,  then 
Colonial  Secretary,  in  accents  oC  keenly  Celt  jLcrief,  how 
iieavy  was  (he  yoke,  how  hnniiliating  the  condition  ol'dur 
(Jolomal  servitnde.  lie  aij:reed  with  nic  m  opinion,  in  .soim.'. 
what  the  ibllowiii;^  terniis,  1  iiive  this  conv(;rsation  becaust! 
It  tlirows  great  lialit  on  the  political  views,  on  the  .secret 
apprehensions  and  hopes  of  Eni!;land. 

•'{agree,"  said  Lord  Hathnrstto  ine,  "that  for  continen- 
tal ])Ossessions  the  popnlation  of  which  donhlcs  in  a  few 
yenrs  the  system  of  government  of  which  you  complaiti 
can  for  those  subject  to  it,  be  only  a  period  of  stormy  trans- 
ition, of  sickly  cUange  to  be  followed  by  bright  days,  an 
early  organization  of  ])olitical  existence  and  national  inde- 
pendence. I  even  believe  tliat  tlie  period  of  suffering  will 
be  sliort  for  you.  French  Catholics  ruled  by  English  Pro- 
testants, yours,  it  must  be  acknowledged,  is  a  forced,  iin- 
UJitural  position.  You  are  too  far  from  England  properly 
to  appreciate  her,  and  too  near  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca not  to  be  dazzled  with  their  deceitful  prosperity.  1  ask 
you  then  for  five  and  tw^enty  years  of  patient  resignation. 
Before  the  end  of  that  time,  however,  I  as  a  statesmen  for- 
see  and  foretell  a  violent  separation  ot  the  different  ])art.s  of 
the  American  Confederation.  England  will  then  be  pre- 
pared to  grant  to  those  Colonies  which  will  have  remained 
fidthful  to  her,  both  independence  and  institutions  superior 
to  those  at  present  based  on  the  Federal  compact.  Demo- 
cracy, disengaged  from  all  counterpoise,  would  finally  be- 
como  impetuous  and  bring  about  a  state  of  anarchy,  whilst 
it  wovdd  be  the  best  government  possible  tempered  with  a 
^,  hereditary  magistracy,  the  perpetual  existence  of  which 
would  be  guarantied  in  all  its  splendor  and  force  by  means 
ot  hereditary  peerages  and  entails.  It  is  well  understood 
that  the  British  government  would  invest  such  honors  in 


inllucnlial 

iheinselvc 

"  Jn  gi\ 

yuur  com 

lor  your  c 

Mnglisli  1 

rich  fa  mi 

(•onsec[uei 

if  Democ 

I'ou  won 

:is  well  V 

which  to 

contract  ' 

ui  that  wl 

iiiive  noil 

Tliey  arc 

of  the  re: 

their  owi 

Now  if  e 

:ate  pow< 

uistilutio 

recognize 

every  op; 

.Tovernm 

projects. 

'•  A  o;i'' 
points  of 
])lcs.  O 
come  int 
piircd  to 
crowMied 
ised  in  a 
en  a.  N 
called  01 
despotisi 
tionary 
deofrade 
the  Rest 
amrantc 
throne  h 


PAriNKAU'rf    RKVIKVV 


1G3 


vet   Canada, 


nrsl,  then 

zriff,  how 

loll  of  diir 

1,  in  soiin.'. 

ni  because 

the  secret 

C01ltilU!tl- 

s  iu  a  few 
complain 
nny  trans- 
t  days,  ;iii 
ional  iiidd- 
fenn<r  will 
figlisii  Pro- 
forced,  iin- 
id  properly 
1  of  Amen- 
ity. J  ask 
ssignation. 
esmeii  for- 
snt  parts  of 
en  be  pre- 
3  remained 
IS  superior 
t.  Demo- 
fmallvbc- 
hv.  whilst 
red  with  a 
of  which 
I  by  means 
inderstood 
honors  in 


lulhiential  men  such  as  yon,  sir,  if  they  vvonhl  a^ret;  to  U-nd 
liiemselves  to  snch  a  wise  arranueinent. 

'' Jn  ^dviiiLT  your  support  to  this  plan,  and  in  pcrsiindin^^ 
vour  countrymen  to  leceivo  it  cordially,  you  would  hasten 
lor  your  country  the  era  ol  ljapj)iiiLss  and  power.  \\  ealthy 
•iii^lisli  hnnilies  lavorablc  to  Ijcrtdiiary  mstitmions,  and 
rich  families  of  the  United  »States  at  j)iesint  dis<iusled  m 
coiisetiuence  of  the  feeble  inllueiice  which  th(j  ascendancy 
4' Democracy  has  IvA'l  them,  would  be  uttracled  tliilher.-- 
I'ou  would,  on  the  other  iiand  iiiid  iu  inllueniial  families 
is  well  within  as  out  ol  the  Province,  the  maleriul  from 
which  to  constitute  a  strono-  o;overnment,  which  W(/iild 
contract  with  us  an  alliance  oii'ensivo  und  defensive  similar 
lothatwhich  hinds  Portugal  to  i  ni,^Iand.  'J'lius  you  would 
have  notliiiiLi-  more  to  fear  irom  your  ambitious  neighbors. 
They  are  already  too  formidable,  and  cajiable,  if  jtossesscd 
of  tlie  resources  of  Canada,  thonuh  sn;all,  in  aildilion  to 
their  own,  of  ellectinn-  J>rilish  suj-'reniacy  on  the  ocean. 
Now  if  ever  Eninhmd  should  descend  to  the  rank  of  a  tliiid- 
:ate  power,  it  would  be  a  niislortune  to  humanity  ;  for  with 
institutions  so  peri'ect  as  hcr's,  and  a  supreinacy  generally 
recognized,  England  is,  on  the  continent,  the  mainstay  of 
every  oppressed  people,  on  whoso  rei)resentati()n  ahsoiut^. 
iTOverniJients  have  ofien  been  arrested  in  their  tyrannical 
projects. 

'•A!:,^reat  strugulo  is  on  the  eve  of  commencing  on  all 
points  ol  Continental  Europe  between  two  inimical  princi- 
])les.  On  the  one  hand,  the  love,  of  liberty  winch  may  bc- 
eome  intractable  and  tur])ulGnt  among  a  people  yet  unpie- 
pared  to  receive  it;  on  the  other  hand,  a  settled  repugnance  in 
crowned  heads  to  concede  reformi  which  tliey  prom- 
ised in  a  moment  of  terror  caused  by  the  pri^soner  of  St.Hel- 
ena.  Now,  England  w^ould  1  o  the  powerful  moderator, 
called  on  to  prevent  the  repetition  of  these  scenes  of  blood, 
despotism  and  impiety  already  enacted  by  that  revolu- 
tionary France  whom  it  would  iiave  been  necessary  to 
degrade  below  the  rank  of  nations,  had  slie  not  accepted 
the  Restoration,  the  only  bond  of  reconciliation,  the  only 
aiarantee  for  repose,  alter  the  usurpation  of  the  Frencli 
throne  by  the  ambitious  soldier  who  lately  occupied  it. 


'>■' 


i'l 


t 


i 


\w*.,  .hM. 


U 


^ ' 

.  1: 

, 

i    ! 

1'  :   . 

" 

1 

' 

.«■ 

'i  '   » 

*>-■.    r 

h  ! 

i 

1' 

ri 

1 

1 

]■< 

'?'  ; 

\i 

1   .   1:' 

1'  1  i 

^   1  ■ 

1 

i'-  ;  ! 

i,i'' 

Ill 

1;  ■  : 

'i   ' 

"-  i ' . 

li' 

' 

ill  ';* 

a 


164 


PAPINEAU'S     REVIEW. 


"The  example  of  the  United  States  is  an  obstacle  to  the 
reaUzation  of  these  plans.  1  know  well  that  those  are  en 
thusiasts,  unacquainted  with  the  management  of  business, 
who  are  excited  in  favor  of  that  American  demagogueism, 
which  like  a  rope  of  sand,  is  destined  to  fall  to  pieces  on  an 
early  day.  But,  notwithstanding,  their  writings  nmke  dis 
ciples — they  foment  bad  passions,  and  enlist  men  of  noth- 
ing for  the  destruction  of  the  superior  classes  m  rank  and 
fortune.  And  I  confess  to  you,  that  all  those  cries  of 'cheap 
government,'  of  'exclusive  sovereignty  of  the  people,'  after 
the  American  model, would  give  us  a  great  deal  of  uneasiness 
did  we  not  clearly  see  that,  war  being  one  of  the  instinct? 
unfortunately  natural  to  man,  there  are  causes  which  will 
soon  excite  it  in  the  United  States — bring  into  collision  the 
difl'erent  parties  to  the  confederation,  and  oblige  them  for 
their  own  protection  to  have  larger  armies  and  stronger  in- 
stitutions." 

I  told  Lord  Bathurst  that  my  Utopia  differed  from  his, 
and  that  it  appeared  to  me  both  more  desirable  and  easier 
to  be  realized — that  the  American  Confederation  would  be 
for  the  future  one  and  indivisible — that  it  seemed  to  me  pro- 
ceeding rather  towards  strength  and  augmentation  than  to- 
wards mutilation  and  impuissance — that  on  the  day  of  our 
Independence  the  right  of  citizenship  and  freedom  of  trade 
between  Q,uebec  and  INew  Orleans,  between  Florida  and 
Hudson's  Bay  would  secure  for  the  Canadas  an  indefinite 
but  long  period  of  peace,  of  triumphs  over  nature,  of  pro- 
gress in  moral  and  political  science  and  in  arts,  with  sov- 
reignity  for  each  state  under  the  protection  of  Congress 
who  could  not  be  a  tyrant,  having  neither  subjects  nor  col- 
onies, and  possesino-  no  authority  except  in  questions  oi 
peace  and  war  and  trade  with  other  nations.  1  added  that 
such  advantages  were  too  vast,  and  too  manifest  to  permit 
Canada  to  suffer  herself  to  be  inveigled  into  offensive  and 
defensive  alliances  with  England  aofainst  America.  As  to 
the  delay  of  twenty-five  years  fixed  by  his  Lordship,  that 
it  would  certainly  be  shortened  by  the  partiality  of  the  me- 
tropolis, the  unskilfulness  of  its  selections,  and  the  provo- 
cations of  its  agfents. 


■'■■! 


PAPINEAU'S     REVIEW. 


165 


Lord  Bathurst  promised  reformis.    !Noiie  have  been  ef- 
fected though  the  time  is  passed  by. 

The  intimate  friend  of  a  great  many  of  my  brother  Rep- 
resentatives, honored  by   the  esteem  and  confidence  of  all, 
insomuch  as  they  have  for  twenty  years,  often  unanimous- 
ly, always  by  large  majorities  elevated  me  to  the  Speaker- 
ship of  the  House  of  Assembly,  I  am  intimately  acquainted 
with  all  that  occured  in  Canada  up  to  the  moment  when  the 
troubles  broke  out.     I  am   acquainted  with  all  the  actions 
Hiid  opinionsof  twenty-five  of  my  colleagues  and  of  many 
prominent  citizens,  some  of  whom  have  suffered  death,  oth- 
ers of  whom,  have,  like  me,  had,  as  it  were,  a  price  set  on 
iheir  heads,  and  been,  like  me,  driven  into  exile,  without 
trial,  or  closely  confined,  often  unaccused,  always  without 
bein<r  confronted  with  their  accusers,  and  afterwards  liber- 
ated untried,  although  urgently  demanded  verbally  or  in 
writing,  a  trial  either  from  the  blood  stained  dictator  Col- 
horno,  or  from  the  more  hollow  hearted  but  not  less  vindic- 
tive dictator,  Durham.     For  were   they  not  all  suffering 
irom  the   same  punishment?     They  were  all  guilty  of  the 
same  crime.     Their  virtues  were  dear  to  their  feljow  citi- 
zens; odious  to  their  foreign  oppressors. 

Now  I  defy  the  British  government  to  contradict  me 
when  1  affirm  that  none  of  us  had  prepared,  desired  or  even 
larseen  armed  resistance.  But  that  ijovcrnment  h  ad  de- 
lermined  to  rob  the  province  of  its  revenue  and  of  its  repre- 
sentative system.  It  had  determined  to  devote  us,  some 
10  death  and  others  to  exile.  It  was  with  that  view  that  it 
proclaimed  martial  law  and  caused  citizens  to  be  tried  by 
courts  martial  for  acts  which  some  weeks  before,  it  had 
adnnitted  could  not  furnish  a  plea  for  any  accusation.  Thu 
necessity  of  creating  courts  martial  it  founded  on  the  im- 
Ijossibility  of  obtaining  sentences  of  death  from  civil  tribu- 
nals! Thus  aofain  has  the  executive  power  put  into  ope- 
ration against  innocent  men,  in  support  of  ill  understood 
inetropolitan  interests,  inhuman  tribunals  which  itself  ac- 
knowledged it  had  not  the  right  to  authorise.  Tis  from  it, 
then,  that  all  provocation  has  proceeded. 

Among  the  actors  in  this  bloody  tragedy  there  is  not  one 
who  regrets  having  attempted  resistance;  and  among  their 
14* 


l<1 


I,  I 


i  SI 

i 


11 


;.    s 


!■  i 


III'  ; 


ii 


11 1 


[i;  !• 


*'ii 


166 


PAPINEAU  S     REVIEW. 


Pi 


feliow  citizens  there  is  not  one  in  a  tliousand  who  reproach- 
es thorn  with  having  so  done.  There  is  in  the  li'^artsof  all 
only  !i  deep  re-let  tluit  that  resistance  lias  been  ;insiiccess- 
ful.  mingled  at  the  same  time,  with  an  ardent  i  (pe  that  il 
may  be  attemincd  a<^ain  and  that  it  may  sucetui.  It  is  no: 
fliat  Iheinsnrrection  had  beeiinnlciwrn!,bnt  we  had  resolved 
not  to  have  reconrbc  to  it  yet.  This  is  what  (  ur  papcLs 
wliicli  it  liad  seized,  told  a  government  wldeh  (aiumniuirs 
ni  order  'o  prosecut(^ 

When  1  make  this  declaration  it  is  merei;-  i  establi;.;; 
historical  trnlh  and  by  no  means  to  rejjudjau.  il  i  moral  rcs 
ponsibiiity  of  resistance  to  a  power  at  war  a<:uii  i-i  ;l;e  sacrci] 
lights  of  mankind — at  war  also  against":!  >  !i.:ilienabic 
[liriiiright  of  British  subjects"  as  the  Juris  con;  iiUs  of  GrcM 
Britain  say — exj-rei'Sions  which  aie  mockciy  i.s  far  as  re 
gards  the  colonies,  and  invented  to  procure  ihr  i'liiish  arl^. 
tocrats  S];artan  |)le;;vMres — that,  ibr  exaiiipu  ,  c  hnntiii;- 
the  Ihjlots  (-[■  Ireiaiai.  (u* Canada,  of  Jaiiiaica  ;  i  '  all  tin;; 
foreign  po^sessioiis,overy  time  tltc  scil's  inl:;ilMf,i  liieiiH)!- 
ject  to  being  tytlicd,  ground  i^ud  taxed  wiibi  u'  , 
c\r. 

I  clearly  understand  the  S'^cred  functions  o;' ;' 
Well  understood  tlKn-  exclude  all  that  is  no!  u  ■ 
impious  is  British  tyrranny   tliat  even    ui,(i(  i  ■* 
Its  poisoiHiUs  iniiuence,  and  of  its  stifling  vn}  \   . 
toriau  ef  the  Canadas cannot  tell  e\ery  thing  (io-. 
inilitrny  occnpation  of  those  pillaged,  burnt      < 
provinces.     For  power   has  abandoned  it^  'i  >  • 
ororjes  that  it  is  drunk.     Tell  it  of  its  crimes-,  ai 
doning  them,  it  plunges  deeper  and  deepci.  a;  < 
ly  to  ])ass  quckly  from  torpor  to  the  fury  oi'  'li- 
to  redouble  its  hlows  on  the  country  where  ii 
IS  univLr:-;:lly  hated.     Tell  it  the  names  oi  ■". 
their  country — you  are  an  informer  who  \n'<< 
— a  ferocious  spectator  wbio  closes   his  hano 
christians  may  be  thrown   to  wild  beasts. 

Under  these  circumstances  facts  and  puM 
well  known  in  America,  unknown,  or  what  i 
kited  in  Europe,  can  only  be  cited,  'i'la 
ernment  has,  in  fact,  taken  care  to  put  in  j)! 


If 


y  or  ini;- 

'listoriu!;, 
.     But  sv 
■■licidc  (•! 
.  the  iii:- 
:iringth( 
ecJUiiitiu 
a.  to  suci. 
•nn  abiui- 
;  ;oscs  Ou 
■  'nnes.s- 
•;  ail.  aii' 
litlifni  !■ 
:ni)geoii> 
idcr  tha: 

MMuneias 

:o,  raiiti- 

Isli  gov- 

A-itlftlic 


PAPINEAU'S     REVIEW, 


167 


editors  and  printers,  all  the  types  and  printing  presses  whicli 
were  not  for  sale.  All  that  it  did  not  cranrinto  dungeons 
It  bought  np — and  doubtless  to  guide  the  Imperial  Parlia- 
ment as  to  tlie  plans  jor  the  Inlure  government  of  Canada — 
io  enlighten  public  opinion  in  Englond,  and  through  it,  to 
edify  the  world  on  the  virtues  of  tlie  gov^erning  and  the  in- 
i-ratitudo  of  the  govern(.'d.  it  moulded  these  raw  materials, 
purchased  men  and  types,  into  pages  ol  contemp.oraneons 
history.  The  niOans  being  known,  the  object  is  revealed. 
Through  the  English  press,  you  have  learned  only  o/licial 
lies. 

It  is  no  longer  my  business  to  be  the  accuser  of  the  Brit- 
ish government,  that  has  been  niy  duty  for  thirty  years  of 
my  public  life.  'J'hat  government  itself  hns  copressed  its 
own  guilt  in  the  hundred  (Uid  twenty  folio  piij.(s  which 
Lord  Durhnmhns  just  pul;lis}ied.  Systematic  corruption. 
^,iiameless  peculations,  antipathies  against  the  jHxiple,  re- 
volting cxam.ples  of  irresponsil,;ility  in  the  public  agents, 
plunder  of  the  public  domain;  nothing  is  wanting-  in  the 
picture  of  Canadian  misery — a  picture  so  hideous  that  its 
duplicate  ciumot  be  furnished  except  in  the  historv  of  an- 
other British  possession — Irt^land.  Yet  the  author  lins 
uniformly  softened  down  his  accusations  against  the  jiower 
of  which  he  is  the  orgrm,  whose  leaden  sceptre  over  th(^ 
colonies  he  would  still  preserve  hy  nieans  so  piti(d)!e  that 
they  destroy  his  n-putation  as  a  statesman. 

Lord  Durham,  anxious  to  ])rovo  that  his  favorite  Saxon 
rnce  is  aloi"ie  worthy  of  commandins',  has  falsely  ])(iinted  it 
in  flattering  colors,  and  s'ladedin   the  blackest  irronnd  the 
mock  portrait  winch  he  drew  of  the  French  Canadians- — 
But  despite  of  this  vile  partiality,  1  refer  with  confidence 
impartial  readers  to  his  singular  report,  well  convir.ced  that 
they  will  come  to  tlie   conclusion  that  the  Candians  have 
no  justice  to  expect  from   England — that  submission  must 
he  for  them  disorace  and  death — Independence  on  the  con- 
trary   a  principle  of  resurrection    and  life.     Tt  would  be 
more — it  would  be  the  restoration  of  the  French  reputation 
terribly  compromised  in  America  by  the  shameful  treaty  of 
Paris  of  17G3 — by  the  proscription  ew  masse  of  more  than 
20,(100  Acadians  hunted  from  their  homesteads—finally  hy 


"1 '     -;j!  iJ 


I 


M 


:r 


! 


% 


B 


■I.  i 


u 


168  PAPINEAU'S    REVIEW. 

the  fate  of  600,000  Canadians  ruled  during:  eighty  years 
with  unceasing  injustice — to-day  decimated ;to  morrow  con- 
demned to  political  inferiority  out  of  hatrea  to  their  French 
origin. 

Correct  when  it  accuses  those  in  power,  false  when  it  ac- 
cuses the  people,  Lord  Durham's  report  will  serve  also  to 
prove  that  Canadian  Independence  is  an  event  in  the  in- 
terest alike  of  old  as  of  new  France,  and  of  importance  to 
the  whole  human  race.  With  this  view  I  shall  here  give 
on  analyses  of  that  work  which  it  is  moreover  essential  to 
be  acquainted  with  in  order  to  appreciate  the  morality  of 
the  facts  which  I  intend  to  relate. 

"During  a  long  time,"  says  the  report,  "the  Canadians 
have  been  excluded  from  all  participation  of  power ;  all  the 
offices  of  trust  and  emolument  have  been  vested  exclusively 
in  strangers  of  English  origin. 

'•'Till  within  a  very  few  years  this  exclusion  was  accom- 
panied by  an  inscrlence  which  was  the  more  rovoltinor  to  a 
sensitive  people  than  the  monopoly  of  power  and  profit. 

"The  races  had  become  enemies  ere  a  tardy  justice  was 
extorted  (^by  the  Canadians);  and  even  then  the  government 
discovered  a  mode  of  distributing  its  patronage  amon^r 
the  Canadians  which  was  quite  as  offensive  to  that  people 
as  their  previous  exclusion. 

"Never  again  will  the  present  generation  of  French  Ca- 
nadians yield  a  loyal  submisson  to  a  British  government : 
never  again  will  the  English  population  tolerate  the  author- 
ity of  a  House  of  Assembly  in  which  the  French  shall  pos- 
sess or  even  approximate  to  a  majority. 

"The  militia,  on  which  depends  the  main  defence  of  the 
province  against  external  enemies,  is  completely  disorgan- 
ised. The  attempting  to  arm  oremploy  it  would  be  merely 
arming  the  enemies  of  the  government. 

"In  1833  the  number  of  immigrants  who  landed  atQ.ue- 
bec  amounted  to  52,000.  In  1838  it  did  not  amount  to 
.5000.  Insecurity  begins  to  be  felt  by  the  loyal  inhabitants 
in  the  seigniories  so  that  many  of  them  are  obliged  to  quit 
their  occupations  and  seek  refuge  in  the  cities. 

"No  consideration  can  any  longer  overpower  among  the 
Canadians  a  feeling  which  absorbs  all  others — that  of  ha- 
tred against  the  English.     To  assuaye  their  vensfeance  and 


|!3 


PAPINEAU'S     REVIEW. 


169 


^0   amoncr 


enjoy  a  momentary  triumph  they  are  ready  to  submit  to 
any  yoke — to  aid  any  enemy.  The  ancient  antipathy 
against  the  Americans  has  terminated.  An  A»nerir\n  in- 
vading army  may  rely  on  the  co-operation  of  ahnost  the 
entire  French  population  of  Lower  Canada. 

On  the  other  hand,  *'every  measure  of  clemency  or  even 
justice  towards  their  opponents  they  [the  Britisii]  regard  with 
jealousy,  for  they  feel  that  being  a  minority  any  return  to  the 
due  course  of  constitutional  government  vvoLild  again  subject 
them  to  a  French  majority;  and  to  this  I  am  persuaded  they 
would  never  peaceably  submit. 

But  "the  hostility  of  races  [is]  palpably  sufficient  to  account 
for  all  the  evils  which  have  eflected  Lower  Canada,  inasmuch 
as  nearly  the  same  results  have  been  exhibited  among  the  ho- 
mogenous population  of  the  other  Provinces.  Lower  Canada, 
or  the  iwoCanadas,  have  not  alone  exhibited  repeated  conflicts 
between  the  executive  and  popular  branches  of  the  Legislature. 
The  representative  body  of  Upper  Canada  was  before  ihe  late 
election  hostile  to  the  policy  of  the  government;  the  most  seri- 
ous discontents  have  only  recently  been  calmed  in  Prince  Ed- 
ward's Island  and  New-Brunswick;  the  government  is  still  in 
u  minority  in  Nova  Scotia;  and  the  dissensions  of  Newfound- 
Innd  are  hardly  less  violent  than  those  of  the  Canadas.  It 
may  fairly  be  said  that  the  natural  state  of  government  in  all 
these  Colonies  is  that  of  collision  between  the  Executive  and 
the  Representative  body. 

A  state  of  things  so  different  from  the  working  of  any  suc- 
cessful experiment  of  representative  government  appears  to 
indicate  a  deviation  from  sound  constitutional  principles  .... 
When  we  examine  into  the  system  of  government  in  these 
Colonies  it  would  seem  as  if  the  object  of  those  by  whom 
it  was  established  had  been  the  combining  of  apparently  popu- 
lar institutions  with  an  utter  absence  of  all  efficient  control  of 
the  people  over  their  rulers.  Representative  assemblies  were 
established  on  the  basis  of  a  very  wide,  and  in  some  cases,  al- 
most universal  suffrage;  the  annual  meetings  of  the  bodies  was 
secured  by  positive  enactment,  and  their  attributes  were  local- 
ly nearly  as  extensive  as  those  of  the  English  House  of  Com- 
mons. At  the  same  lime  the  Crown  almost  entirely  relied  on 
its  territorial  resources  ....  for  carrrying  on  the  government 
without  securing  the  assent  of  the  representative  body  eith^ 
er  to  its  policy,  or  to  the  persons  by  wlionj,  that  policy  was  t<>. 
be  administered, 


;l 


\\l 


hi        -^   ,. 

ti;^  i. 


'|i!  :i 


i'         I 


11^::'  ;; 


m 


'  1  'i   '5! 

I  I '   .  / 
'i  .    ir 


iTO 


PAPlNEAL'rf    IIEVILW. 


*'  In  Lou  or  Canada  fioiri  the  niomont  iho  Assi mb 


•  y  (.'VincLd 


any  incliiiali(iii  lo  make  use  of  its  powiM's  it  fouiid  itst^lf  in  col- 
lision with  iho  I'ixocutivL',  and  llio  |)riicli<-{:l  working  of  ilu 
Assembly   coruiuenced    by  its  principfil    leaders  being  thr 


row  11 


into  ju'isen.  In  the  course  of  time,  h(AV(jver,  the  governmi m! 
was  induced,  by  its  necessities,  lo  uccej)l  the  Assembly's  ol]!' 
to  raise  an  addilionul  revenue  hy  fresli  taxes  and  thus  the  i;«t 
Icr  acquired  a  certain  control  over  the  levying  and  .'ipuroiiri.i 
tion  of  tlie  piddic  revenue  in  lSti2. 


The  Asiseniblv  after  it   had    obtained  the    leco^nition  ol 


D' 


Its 


liffhts  svas  nt;t  n.orc    rcsnected    than  before.      "It  cculd 


reic 


alls. 


"rant  or   k.' 


iLLse  si;i)|ilies, 


but 


,M 


II   cculd  (xeieiyu  no  nil 


ill  ■ 


til- 


cnco  in  the  Humiliation  of  a  single  S(  rv;!nt  of  the  (.'i(;\vn. 
uei:(},  in:^!LHices  are    not  wantin^q  in  v/i.ieii  a  mere    hestiliiy  io| 
the    niujorily  of  the;   Assembly  elevatetl   the    liio;-!  incoinj^ctei: 
I'.crsons  to  posts  of  honor  and  trust.    Laws  jiassed  a("ler  rej}oat 
<:d  coiiriicts,  had  to  be  carried  mto  effect  by  those  v.ho  Jiad  nioi.tl 
stren'KMisly  opjxjsed  them. 

*'A   Governor  arrivinii;  in  a  country  in    which  ho  almost  ii 


'O 


iro". 


variably  lias  lio  previous  acquaintance,  is  compelled  to  t 
himself  almost  entirely  upon  those  whom  he  finds  in  place—! 
•:-j  is  geneially  brought  thereby  into  immediate  collision  wiili 
tho  other  parties  in  the  country,  and  thereby  thrown  into  nioiv 
■r^ompleto  dependence  upon  the  official  party  and  its  friends.  . . 
Fortified  by  family  connections  and  the  common  interest  felt 
bv  all  who  field,  and  all  who  desired  subotdinato  offices,  tliat 
[offi 


iCial  I  parly  was  thus  erected  info  a  solid  and  permane:; 
[)0wei',  controlled  by  no  responsibility,  subject  to  no  serloi; 
change,  exercising  over  the  whole  government  of  the  Provinc 
an  authority   utterly   independent  of  tho    people  and  its  loprc-l 


se 


ntativcs,  and  possessing  the  only  means  of  indueneing  c 
the  government  at  home,  or  the  colonial  re[)resentativcs  of  ll 
Crown. 

The  opposition  of  tho  Assembly  to  the  government  was  ti 


unavoidable  rcisult  of  this  system 


W 


icn  net  Inner  else  coin 


attain  its  end   of   altering  the  policy  or  tho  composition  oft!".' 
Colonial  government  it  bad  recourse  to  that  ultima  ratio  of  re- 


cM 


presentativo  power  to  which  the  more  prudent  forbearance 
the  Crown  has  never  driven  tlie  Flouso  of  Commons  in   Eng- 
land, and  endeavored  to  disable  the  whole  machine  of  govern-] 
ment  by  a  general  refusal  of  supplies 

*'The  Legislative  Council  [the  second  branch  of  the  Icgisl.vl 
ture  Is  thus  named]  must  certainly  be  admitted  lo  have  been  so 
composed  as  to  give  it  no  weight  with  the  people  or  with  the] 


PAPINEAU'S    REVIEW. 


171 


1!^  jilnT'st  ir." 


talivca  of  lli' 


representative  body,  on  wliich  it  wns  meant  lo  bo  a  check.  The 
nmjority  was  always  composed  of  members  of  the  party  wliicli 
conducted  the  executive  government,  and  was  practically  hard- 
ly any  thing  but  a   veto   in  tlie    hands  of  the  public  function- 

iiries. 

"There  is  in  it  [llie  Province]  literally  no  power  which  ori- 
ginates and  conducts  the  executive  government.  The  Gov- 
,rnor,  it  is  said,  represent  tlio  sovereign,  but  lu;  is  in  fact  a 
i;iore  subordinate  oflicer  receiving  his  orders  from  the  Secre- 
;iry  of  State,  and  responsible  to  him  for  his  con<Iuct! 

•'It  has  been  the  tendency  of  tht>  local  government  to  settle 
(Very  thing  by  reference  to  tluj  Colonial  Department  in  Down- 
ing street,  where  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  have  anysuflicient 
inlorination;  and  the  colony  has,  in  every  crisis  of  danger, 
imd  almost  every  d(;tail  of  h)cal  gov(^rnment  felt  the  mischief 
of  having  its  executive  autl)oritv  exercised  on  ihe  other  side  of 
iho  Atlantic.  .  .  .  The  reiieated  changes  [of  mini;-trv]  caused 
i)y  political  events  at  hoeie,  having  no  connection  with  colonial 
iitFiirs,  have  left  to  mcrst  of  the  various  representatives  of  the 
'ulonial  D'epartment  in  I'arliainent  too  little  time  to  acquire 
?ven  an  tdementary  knowledge  of  the  cond  tion  of  those  numc- 
rii'js  and  heterogtinoous  cf>mu)unities  for  which  they  have  both 
lo  administer  and  to  legislate.  .  .  .  Since  IS27  there  have  been 
not  less  than  eight  Colonial  ministers,  and  the  policy  of  each 
s;iccossive  statesman  has  been  more  or  less  marked  by  a  difFer- 
"I'nce  from  that  of  his  predecessor.  .  ..  The  more  important  bu- 
Mness  of  the  government  was  carried  on,  not  in  open  discus 
[sions  or  public  acts,  but  in  a  secret  correspondence  between 
liie  Governor  and  the  S(!cretary  of  State.  Wiienever  this 
mystery  was  dispelled  it  was  long  after  the  worst  effects  had 
been  produced  by  doubts  and  misaj)prehension. 

"The  first  want  of  a  people  is  an  elHcient  administration  of 
[j-istice.  *  *  *  Now  it  is  a  lamentable  fact  which  must 
not  ho  concealpd  that  there  does  not  exist,  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  of  this  Province,  the  slightest  confidence  in  the  admin- 
listration  of  criminal  justice. 

^.3  for  Justices  of  the  Peace,  *'the  institution   has  become 
liinpopular  among  the  Canadians,  owing  to  their  general  belief 
put  the  appointments  had  been  made  with  a  party  or  national 


liJias 


"I  am  grieved  to  be  obliged  to  remark  timt  the  British  gov- 
|'-!'nment  has,  since  its  possession  of  this  Province,  done,  or 
hveti  attempted  nothing  for  the  promotion  of  general  education. 


y 


H' '' 


!*l 


' :    ') 


r  \ 


Iv 


,1 


lit,  V 


ii«.  ^ 


^i 


172 


PAPINKAU'S    REVIEW. 


*  •  *  It  has  applied  the  Jesuits'  estntes,  part  of  the  prop- 
erty  deslinctl  for  purposes  of  education,  to  supply  a  spaciesof 
fund  for  secret  service,  and  for  a  number  of  years  it  has  main- 
tained  an  obstinate  struggle  with  the  Assembly,  in  order  to 
continue  this  misappropriation." 

Speaking  of  the  Colonies  in  which  the  population  is  unmixed 
and  altogether  English,  Novu  Scotia  and  New  Brunswick, 
which  formerly  constituted  French  Acadia,  and  Prince  Ed- 
ward's Island,  originally  the  Island  of  Saint  John,  the  Report 
continues: — 

"Their  varied  and  ample  resources  are  turned  to  litth  ac- 
count. Their  scanty  population  exhibits,  in  most  porf/ons  of 
them,  an  aspect  of  poverty,  backwardness  and  stagnation;  and 
wherever  a  better  state  of  things  fs  visible,  the  improvement  is 
generally  to  be  ascribed  to  the  influx  of  American  settlors  or 
capitalists.  Nova  Scotia  exhibits  the  melancholy  spectacle  of 
half  the  tenements  abandoned  and  land  every  where  fa/ling  in- 
to decay.  Lands  that  were  purchased  thirty  or  forty  years 
ago  at  five  shillings  an  acre,  are  now  offered  for  sale  at  three 
shillings.  The  people  of  Prince  Edward's  are  permitting 
Americans  to  take  out  of  their  hands  all  their  valuable  fishe- 
ries from  sheer  want  of  capital.  *  *  #  These  Provinces, 
among  the  longest  settled  on  the  North  American  continent, 
contain  nearly  80,000,000  of  acres,  and  a  population,  estima* 
ted  at  the  highest,  at  no  more  than  86,5,000  souls."  [This 
population  amounts  only  to  27,000.] 

What  u  contrast  is  afforded  along  the  whole  line  of  conter- 
minous frontier! 

On  the  American  side  all  is  activity  and  bustle,  increasing 
wealth  and  progressive  civilization.  Numerous  harbors  con- 
taining numerous  fleets,  good  houses,  warehouses,  mills,  inns, 
villages,  towns,  and  even  great  cities,  are  almost  seen  to  spring 
out  of  the  desert. 

On  the  British  side  of  the  line  ...  all  seems  waste  and 
desolate! 

That  painful  hut  undeniable  truth  is  most  manifest  in  the 
country  districts  through  which  the  whole  line  of  national  sep- 
aration  passes  for  4,000  miles.  The  diderence  in  the  price  oi 
land,  amounts,  in  not  a  Cvav  parts  of  this  frontier,  to  as  much 
as  a  thousand  per  cent,  and  in  some  cases  even  more.  Tho 
average  difference  between  Upper  Canada  and  the  States  of 
New  York  and  Michigan  is  notoriously  several  hundred  per 
cent.     The  price  of  wild  land  in  Vermont  and  New  Ilamp- 


ill  111  g    IS 

>(jcial  sj 
teliigenc 
■mJ.     Mi 
ij'jen  th 
and  to 
remote! 
after  ! 
(urbed 
than  hi: 
scriptio 
he  was 
this  wis 
much  d, 
his  po; 
iiirii,  le 
!■•  The  f 
be  in 
Two 


I;-:' 


PAPINEAU'S    REVIEW. 


173 


i 

i 


[le  of  conter- 


jhire,  close  to  the  line,  is  five  dollars  per  acre,  and  in  the  ad- 
joining Hrilisii  Townships  [of  Lower  Ciumda]  only  one  dollar. 
Emigrants  from  CJreat  Britain,  instead  of  remaining  in  the 
Colonies,  fly  in  numbers  to  llie  States,  and  "the  entire  popula- 
iii)U  of  Upper  Canada,  which  should  now  have  hoen  .500,000," 
is  in  consequence  *'nor.  over  400,000  soids."  The  emigrants 
to  Nova  tScotia  and  New  IJranswiclc  act  in  tlie  same  wav. — 
They  g(Miorally  proceed  to  the  United  States,  as  there  is  not 
sudicient  encouragement  for  them  in  these  Provinces.  Many 
of  the  old  Colonists  follow  their  exam|)le. 

Such  are  the;  lameiitahhj  results  of  the  political  and  social 
ovils  which  have  so  jotig  harrassed  the  Canadas;  and  at  this 
moment  we  are  obliged  to  adopt  immediate  measures  againsi 
dangers  so  !\lar(niug  as  arc  rebellion,  foreign  invasion  and  de- 
population, in  consequence  of  the  desertion  en  masse  of  a  peo- 
pie  reduced  to  despair. '' 

Here  we  have  British  government  portrayed  by  itself.   Such 
is  the  flattering  sketch  of  the  condition  to  vviiich  those  Colonies 
have  been  reduced,  by  an  arroc^ant  aristocracy,  which  sets  itself 
up  as  a  mo'-U'l  of    wisdom  and  knowjodji^e  for  nations  to  ijludv 
;u)d  imitate  in  order  to  learn  how  to  govern  thoms(dves. 

This  Lord  Durham  who  has  si^^nen  the  report  containing  the 
oiittincf,  thouofh  modified,  accusations  wiiich  we  have  iiist  r<;ad, 
is  one  of  the  most  eminent  heads  of  that  aristocracy;   and  no- 
ihiiiar  is  bettor  ada[)ted  to  siiow  how  artificial  and  haliuw  is  the 
vjcial  system  of  England,  than  the  reputation  for  capacity,  in- 
lc:lligence,  and  liberality  which  this  ignorant  despot  has  usurp- 
i;d.     Mis  pretended  rare  talents,  his  pretended  high  virtues  have 
heen  the  [)lea  for  all  parlies  in  Parliament  to  unite  in  his  fa/or, 
and  to  invest  him  with  a   Dictatorship,  as   if  there   was  not  the 
remotest  chance  of  his  abusing  it.     Yet  iti  less  than  one  month 
after  he   had  eagerly  seized  this  omnipotence   which  had  dis- 
turbed much  strongel'  minds,  and  corrupled  much  purer  virtues 
than  his,  he  dishonored   himself  by  pronouncing  infamous  pro- 
scriptions without  inquiry  against  innocent  men.    In  two  months 
hi3  was  disowned  and  censured  bv  Parliament.    In  three  months, 
this  wise  envoy  for  rulaying  revolt,  relxdled  himself,  and  with  a.s 
tiiuch  discretion  as  petuience,  threw  up  his  commission,  deserted 
his  post  without  leave  fi--'»'M  Uie  authority  v/hieh  had  appointeal 
iiim,  leavifig  liiat  Diciatorship  vvhicii  wj^v!- created  t'or  hiin  alono, 
!'» the  first  soldier  of  fortune  who  by  his  rank  should  chance  to 
be  in  command  in  Can;ula. 
Two  instances  will  suffice  to  prove  how  weak  was  the  bead, 
L5 


n  \ 


H 


\    . 


•I' 


11 


I'  ■ 


» 


Km 


i 

i 


li 


■( 

i  'i  ■  i 


ii 


i 


I; 


174 


PAPINEAUS    BEVUiW. 


and  wickud  Iho  henrl  of  a  man  so  unjustifiibly  nattered.     He 
who  signed  the  above  (juoted  Report   had  tlic  harilihood  public- 
ly to  tell  delegations  from  Canada,  "It  will  not    ho  a  hniuircil 
years,  nor  three  hundred  years — nay,   n(>r  a   ihousand  years 
that  sh.dl    witness   tho  se()aration  of  these  I'rovinces  froin  tiu, 
Metropolis.   They  aro  one  oftho  rio'hest  j';\vols  in  the  (Jrowii,  to 
which  Ihey  niiisl  be  an  eternal  dependcntt?,    mkI  it  is   onlv  \i) 
iiccoHiplish  that   olijcet  tliat  1    Iwive   conveiiffMJ  lo    eonu.'    hillicr 
clotheil  with  ain[)lij  power'^  lo  sc'cure  it.''      It'  Lr;id  Durluiin  Lc 
lieved  nol  what  he  snid,    W!)s  there  ever    ninic  >;iinn;{  less  cli;;r. 
latanismJ  irh(.'  were  sincere,!  ask  him  wastlier..'.;ve!  :u;tre  stin.si; 
less  verhiufic,  or  more  complete  ignorance  oi'the  Ci'oart!;.l  pii:;,j , 
})les  of  poiiticul  economy,  and  of  the  conse(inences  whicli  naist 
flow    tVoin  tiie  separafioii   of  tlie  o:d    IJritisii   North-Ain'-ri.-au 
Col 


onies 


? 


i 


t  IS   .said  that  this   idol  of  the  hi^h  anrl  low  in  Enghtnd  is  ■; 
8tate.s:nan  of  no   mean   calibre,      liis  hir(3d  <jrgans  atiirm  tii  : 
!'.e  a'one  is  capable  of  preserving  England  ('rem  the  bleoJy  i  „■ 
ta^tr•i|>!le  witii  wliiclj  siie  is   t'lrealiMied.      '}\)   believe  them,  he 
wants  but    the  poner    lo    ncconiplish    that    min  Vflious  pieco  ot' 
hocu.s  pocus  of  firmly  establisimg   in    !iii,;l:uul — ;:vrii  with  itio 
consent  of   tiie  mo<t   hauiihtv   anrl    mo^t   f)ower[ul  aristoeriuv 
that  ever  oppressed  the  world — a  pure  Democracy  by  means  o;' 
li'iennia!   Parliament.*',    (juasi,    nniversal  siilfrngo    and  vote  uv 
ballot — and  toere:t,  at  the  saeie   time,  in  all  tho  []ritish  North 
American  Colonies  a  pure  despotism,  tind  that  with  the  coiisoiit 
of  Colonies  wliere  it  would  bo  vain  to  serk  I'or  otlior  social  elu- 
ments  than    principles  of   e'|ualiry,   or  other  active   influences 
than    those  a(?.vrd"d    by  th'i  <!'cample  and    neighborlujod  of  the 
Uniti'd  States  of  America.      Where  then  does  this  man  deservo 
to  occuDV  the    hiirhest    ohiu'c — in    the  Councils  of   Slate  or  in 


Bcdl; 


im 


'py 

'I 


The   detailed  historv  of  Lord  iJurhanrs  mission  would  ex 


')03e  a  desr» 


CO  of 


etrotistical  vanitv  aiuiosl  increc 


iibh 


H 


.s  .^ 


IJIt 


was  composed  exclusively  of  individuals  full  of  vice  and  depr;i. 
vity,  but  who  were  not  sparing  of  (lattery;  whilst  he  ind'-ceni- 
ly  rcfjulsed  tho.se  honest  men,  who,  on  the  faith  of  parlianic/i- 
tary  euloo-inms,  apnroaclied  to  f-'oeuk  to  him  on  anv  other  sub- 
ject  than  himself,  or  to  b'.'Ir.fC  him  e-.wn  from  tliose  giudy 
heifjhis,  where  he  wns  etiirae'ed  in  c(.implacent  rciiections  on 
his  cvvii  merits,  to  a  land  of  tears  an<l  sorrows. 

Iftliose  selections  shocked  even  tl-e  indulgent  morality  of 
the  House  of  Lords,  what  effect  they  must  have  produced  o;; 
American  societv,  so  moral  and  austere'^ 


I- ' 


PAP  INK  A  US    IUiVli:\V. 


1/0 


li-Airi/rs.'uii 


Tlie  snmo  vanity  which  colkctcfl  {iromifl  LorJ  Durluini  those 
\vl)0  Juhniiii.-lcicd  to  liiin  the  gros.sL-st  incohsc,  laid  liini  iit  tlie 
,  t;t  of  u  ccit'.iu  set  of  iiKMi  who  had  insulted  hiiu  uiofel  grossly, 
,111(1  whoM'  praibo  ho  would  obtain  alall  pri  •(•.  Oi'  all  those  who 
v/cro  hntcl'id  to  llic  C.'itiadiaiis,  iiuuv  was  so  justly  (jdious  as  a 
U'llow  by  tli'3  lU'.ino  of  'riuiui,  the  rabid  cdi'.or  of  a  violent  torv 
paper,  called  the  Montreal  Herald,  wlu)  for  Ji  series  of  years 
tiiagged  through  the  puddle  tlu;  nariic.s  of  ail  the  whig  niiuisters 
1,11(1  that  of  Lord  Durham  in  partieidar.  'J'hc  culuiiuiious  an- 
(KjJotes  (.'onlained  in  the  .l(din  Hull  m;\\  snaper  were  not  sutli- 
(jient  to  I'eed  this  fellow's  inalif^iiity.  His  private  correspond- 
ence, real  or  manufactured,  |)araded  before  the  public  eye  the 
well  established  or  pretended  shaun^  of  most  of  the  leading  men 
lil'lJK!  liberiil  party,  and  ;*n  incredible  volley  of  insults  saluted 
i;r'  news  of  Lord  J)urhani's  nomination  wiiich  was  applauded 
iiy  b(.)th  whigs  and  mystified  radicals  in  a  manner  that  appears 
;,()\v  rather  strange.  Dtit  the  bowlings  of  this  Cerbcsrus  pained 
io  acutely  Lonl  Jiurlmtn's  ears  tluit  ho  hastened  to  throw  liini 
asoporilic  sop.  A  few  weeks  after  the  pompouy  landing  of  the 
Viceroy,  in  return  for  iiis  insults,  Adam  Thoni  became  Ids 
JiOrdship's  adviser  and  messmate.  lie  who  whilst  writing  un- 
M;r  the  daily  and  excessive  Ftimulous  of  ardent  s[)irits,  on  Eng- 
;i^h  politics,  was  nothing  more  than  a  violent  partizan,  became 
;{ furious  madman  when  ho  spoke  of  French  Canadians.  Goad- 
(mI  by  a  thirst  for  blood.  Ins  hate  knew  no  bounds.  For  many 
years  were  th.!  columns  oi'  his  paper  dcfded  by  insults  against 
tho  whole  body  of  that  j;eople,  and  by  reiterated  provocations 
of iissassination  against  the  most  popular  representatives.  In 
s(^vcral  riots  which  during  four  years  had  disturbed  Montreal. 
iJirected  by  British  magistrates,  against  citizens  who  either  at 
"lections  or  in  the  Assembly  had  o])posed  the  Ivxecutive,  this 
fallow  had  figured  as  a  prominent  leader.  Were  those  violen- 
ces ever  repressed,  or  their  authors  once  sought  for?  No. 
Tho  soldiery  at  the  disposal  of  tho  magistrates  bathed  our 
towns  in  blood.  Courts  of  justice  were  compelled  by  force  to 
forbid  the  relatives  of  the  victims  tho  exercise  of  the  sacred 
right  of  prosecuting  the  guilty  to  conviction,  and  the  prosecu- 
tion was  taken  out  of  their  iiands  in  order  to  protect  the  mur- 
derers by  mock  trial  from  punishment. 

Adam  Thorn  had  organised  the  '*Doric  Club,^'  an  armed  so- 
ciety, whose  avowed  object  was  to  exterminate  the  French 
Canadians,  if  the  government  should  concede  to  their  demands, 
an  elective  Legislative  Council.     Five  months  before  his  pro- 


t 


t 


B 


fit 


176 


FAPINKAUS    RKVIICW. 


re 


motion  to  ofBco  by  I^ord  Durlinni,  ruul  uliilst  llio  prisons  we 
still  filled  with  Canadintis,  \\c  wrote  as  Collows: 

'*Tho  inuiisliiriciit  of  tlu'  lenders,  fjowever  agreenblo  it  nii^ht 
be  to  li»c  British  inlinhitant.s,  would  not  make  so  deep  nr:d  use- 
ful an  impression  on  the  |;( opie  us  tlu;  siplit  f)f  strange  farnici-, 
sjetth.'d  on  the  farm  of  each  a^j:iiator  in  f;a(ih  |)aiish.  Tlio  sight 
of  the  widow  and  orphati  iianlviiiL,'  their  wretchedness  arounii 
those  woidthy  hou^c  s  of  which  ihey  shoulil  l;e  dispossessed 
would  have  a  good  eli'ect.  We  must  not  hesitato  in  tlu;  execu- 
tion of  this  [)roi(3Ct.  k^[)eoial  I'onimissioncrs  should  be  iiistanilv 
iu\med  with  instructions  to  terminate  tlu;  trials  of  this  batch  cl 
traitors  at  |)resent  in  prison.  It  is  ridiculous  to  fatten  fclluws 
all  tlic  winter  for  the  gallows.'' 

Such  is  the  language  in  Canada  of  the  press  which  is  sulsid- 
i/ed,  not  by  a  stipulated  sum,  but  by  iionors  and  oflice--  wliicli 
tlie  government  distributes  and  which  such  altacks  iiif!illibl\ 
secure — by  subscrintioiiR  of  tiic  IJritish  ofiicials,  and  by  the 
monopoly  of  advertisements  and  government  notices  of  cvciv 
description. 

Tills  Thom,  tlircc  months  before  Lord  Durham's  arrivnl, 
raised  the  death-cry  against  four  hundred  persons,  crammrii 
into  boles  scarcely  fitted  to  contain  half  the  number.  lie  said 
that  a  government  which  would  adjourn  their  trials  would  ex- 
hibit a  culpable  hesitation — that  if  it  was  Intended  to  ravish  it'! 
prey  from  the  Doric  Club,  the  latter  was  able  to  do  itself  justice 
in  spite  of  prison  walls  or  the  soldiers"  bayonets — that  the  Ckib 
could  punish  ns  well  as  j)rotect — that  it  would  grant  only;'. 
short  delay,  after  which  it  would  bo  seen  that  its  warnings 
were  not  idle  menaces.  In  fine,  the  frightful  plot,  hatched  by 
this  demon  and  bis  associates  acquired  such  an  appearance  tlint 
the  authorities  thought  proper  to  fortify  the  prisons  by  addiiioii' 
al  works  and  double  the  dofjrs.  Such  was  the  wretch,  whost 
previous  career  was  familiar  to  every  body  in  Canada,  whom 
Lord  Durham  invited  to  his  table,  and  seated  at  his  Council 
Boa  rd !  , 

In  making  a  selection  as  imprudent  as  it  was  depraved,  did 
Lord  Durham,  sent  ostensibly  on  a  mission  of  peace  and  con- 
ciliation, prove  traitor  to  bis  engagements,  or  was  he  only  a 
cheat  intrusted  with  the  continuance  of  a  plan  begun  the  pre- 
ceding year,  probably  by  the  Imperial  government,  assuredly 
by  that  of  the  Province,  to  drive  the  people  to  desp(  ration  in 
order  to  justify  past  excesses,  or  to  afford  a  pretext  for  future 
ones?     Be  this  as  it  may,  the  Dictator  so  closely  allied  hinnselt> 


PAPINKAU'S    REVIEW. 


177 


|)n.soiis  wcfc 


.von  bnforn  his  dcparturo  from  Knglanrl,  through  tho  in^orvcn- 
tionof  his  no|)lii;w,  Mr.  Hdward  Kllici',  who  Jtrt-  il  on  the  occu- 
'^ioii  as  go-hotwocn,  with  [\\o.  ohJ  nnti-nunadinn  faction  in  Jjon- 
,lo[i,  that  immediately  on  his  hindirig  ho  put  hiniscll'  in  conunu- 
iiiciition  with  their  afronfs,  thoso  LOnghsh  merchants  at  (Quebec 
;in(l  Montreal,  who  had  always  prochiinicd  undying  hatred  to 
iho  poophi  of  Cannda  and  their  reproscntalives.  It  was  they 
who,  since  1808,  had  concocted  the  tyrannical  phm  of  govern- 
ment [a  union  of  the  I'rovinces]  of  which  Lord  l)urhaoj  alone 
iissumes  tho  fhsgraceful  paternity,  in  182'i  they  were;  on  tht; 
point  of  surprising  Parliatnent  out  of  a  vote  of  approhmion  in 
i'uvor  of  it,  which  was  prevented  only  by  tlic  unforoi>uc!n  oppo- 
sition of  the  virtuous  Sir  James  Maclcinlosh. 

On  this  hast  inenlioned  occasion  the  systcniMticdemorahza- 
lion  of  the  IJritisli  government  developed  itself  more  stLi[)idly 
and  njore  unhlushiiigly  than  ever. 

One  of  its  agents,  th(!  [Jnder  Secretary  of  the  (Colonies,  cx- 
clainKMl  in  the  IJouse  of  Commons,  ''iviake  haste,  I  'neg  of  you, 
;ind  adopt  this  hill  before  those  interested  become  acquainted 
with  it;  for  if  you  do  not,  1  predict  that  yuu  will  be  importuned 
by  their  complaints  and  opposition.  Wo  are  informed  that  the 
groat  majority  of  the  people  repudiate  it.'' 

This  was  what  occurred  the  following  year.  T''r>  Union 
Piill  was  disapproved  of,  and  successfully  oppos. J  ;>y  a  majori- 
iv  of  the  peopio  of  the  Canadan.  Selected  as  hearer  of  tho 
protests  of  my  fellmv  citizens,  I  found,  I  must  confess,  on  the 
part  of  a  tory  ministry,  conservative  and  absolutist  as  it  pro 
t'essed  to  be,  a  kind  reception  and  honorabh;  def(;rence.  The 
Union  of  the  Canadas  of  which  I  spealc  is  now  moro  odious, 
more  universally  reprobated  than  it  was  then.  Yet  Lord  Dur- 
ham— '■nhe  People's  Peer" — imposed  upon  bv  tlu'^  intriguers 
who  deceived  Lord  l»athurst,  supports  it  cordially,  and  will,  ac- 
cording to  all  app(^aranccs,  palrniton  the  whig  ministry.  This 
he  will  not  find  difficult,  for  this  ministry  whilst  professing  lib- 
erality and  reform,  has  in  all  its  conduct  towrfrus  the  British 
Colonies,  audaciously  violated  the  nrvost  sacred  laws  of  hu- 
manitv. 

A  young  woman  of  twenty  years  of  age  reigns  in  England; 
and  it  is  under  such  auspicies  that  hundreds  of  persons  have 
been  condemned  to  death  in  tho  two  Canadas  by  exceptionable 
tribunals — by  Courts  Martial!  To  obtain  th(5  approbation  of 
their  Sovereign,  I  must  believe  that  ministers  have  done  vio- 
lence to  those  feelings  of  pity  natural  to  her  sex  and  her  age — 
14* 


** 


•|; 


1i' 


■H 


fi 

i 

*•' 

I 

li: 

C       1 

1 ,  V 

i  t 

1 1 


li! 


1^    1 


fftifi 


'■A 


178 


PAPINEAU'S    REVIEW. 


all  must  remember  that  monarchy  in  England  is  only  an  instru. 
tiientiu  the  hands  of  the  nobles;  a  bn!li!\nt  bauble  vvitii  which 
jugglers  dazzle,  on  stated  Hays,  the  eyes  of  the  crowd. 

The  illegality  of  Courls  Martial  in  Lower  Caciada  was  made 
manifest  ai)d  proclaimed  by  the  Judges  of  tiie  Civil  Tiibuiials. 
Hut  what  care  oppressors  for  right,  law,  or  justice.'?  Magis- 
trates guihy  of  having  perf(jrmed  their  duty  with  courage  ;uul 
honesty  have  been  suspended  from  ollico;  and  althougl)  liuu 
quasi  dismissal  has  been  censured  hy  ministers  in  Eni'laml,  i: 
is  maintained  by  them  in  Canada,  where  ll»e  authorities  liavr 
gone  so  far  as  to  execute  these  who  have  been  condemned.  In 
Lower  Canada  sixteen  uril'ortune  men  have  suflered  the  las' 
sentence.'  of  the  laws.  So  many  judicial  murders.  In  Uppu: 
Canada  the  number  of  victims  amounts  to  tJiore  than  thirtv. 
These  barbarities,  far  from  consolidating  the  domination  of  the 
jiavMge  power  which  authorized  them,  have,  on  the  contrar\, 
rendered  its  <;ontinuance  forever  impossible.  It  has  excited  tliL 
iiorror  of  the  civilized  world. 

In  the  United  States  especially  has  the  indignation  been  pro- 
ibund,  as  may  easily  be  seen  by  the  following  extract  from  the 
Democratic  Review,  a  monthly  periodical  published  at  VVas!;- 
ington,  under  liie  direction  and  with  the  concurrence  of  ilio 
MHJSt  inHuenlial  public  men  of  the  Union.  The  sentence  of 
proscription  fulminated  last  March  within  sight  and  ken  of  Con- 
gress in  the  first  days  of  its  session,  against  British  dominatiijn 
in  America;  has,  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  are  acquainted 
v»'itli  its  source,  the  greatest  weight. 

**It  is  in  vain  that  the  British  government  seeks  to  juslih 
the  recent  executions  which  hav(5  deluged  Cantida  in  blood  by 
the  plea  that  the  law  authorized  them.  The  Kings  of  Etiglaml 
have  polluted  those  laws  by  the  atrocious  penalty  thereby  (i.- 
creed  against  every  sort  of  ollence.  Like  the  code  of  Draco 
they  are  written  in  blood.  They  apply  the  penalty  of  death  tc 
such  a  larre  number  of  oiiences,  and  so  unjustly,  that  the  judgt 
ii\  order  to  act  correctly,  is  obliged  to  torture  the  sense  of  llie 
law,  to  silence  it,  or  even  to  violate  it. 

**The  law  of  Treason,  the  pretext  for  so  many  judicial  mm- 
de:s,  and  which  dfites  from  the  reign  of  Edward  the  3d,  ap- 
plies the  penalty  of  death  to  attempts  against  the  King's  life; 
and  it  is  hy  virtue  of  that  law,  .several  centuries  old,  that  a 
a  crime,  purely  imaginary,  inasmuch  as  it  cannot  be  commitled 
in  America,  has  been  punished.  Ves,  the  spirit  of  assassina- 
tion is  engrafted  in  the  spirit  of  British  Monarchy. 


PAPINEAt's   REVIEW. 


179 


'"But  it  is  not  the  English  people  that  we  reproach  with  these 
monstrous  crimes.  ^I'heir  influence,  when  it  could  be  mfule  to 
bear  on  British  legislation,  hns  been  like  ihntof  the  people  of 
all  countries,  humane,  enlightened  and  kind.  The  inlluence 
nrnionurchvi  on  the  conuary,  has  been  invariably  Ijanerul. — 
Who  can  count  the  innumerable  holocausts  ot'  the  most  illus- 
iiious  anti  b(*st  of  Great  liritain's  sons,  destroyed  to  honor  and 
iind  appease  that   MoUjch —  Monarchy. 

''V\  hat  a  nohle  army  of  martyrs  will  not  that  long  list  of 
heroes  compose  who  have  thus  died  for  the  faith  of  which  ihev 
were  so  worthy!  From  the  Cobhams  and  Balls  of  ancient 
limes,  to  the  Uussels  and  Sydneys  of  n'.odern  annals,  or  the 
Emmetts  and  Lounts  of  the  deplorable  days  of  contetnporane- 
uus  history.  Noble  men!  whose  illustrious  reputations  will 
soon  blaze  with  purest  s|)lendor,  since  anger  and  diSgust  are 
ilnally  Ibrming  that  free  and  powerful  public  opinion  wliich  is 
about  to  sweej)  from  the  earth  the  system  that  immolated  them. 
Those  cruellies  have  excited  an  inetfable  feeling  of  horror  and 
indignation  throughout  the  whole  length  and  breadth  of  this 
'and  ol'  liberty,  wlierc  public  opinion  is  free  and  h,ealthy,  to 
>.ucli  a  degree  that  it  seems  to  speak  tlio  language  of  posterity, 
and  aire  ady  to  reveal  the  pious  eulogies  which  shall  render 
eternal  the  glory  of  those  mighty  victims  and  the  infamy  of 
iiieir  butchers.  Let  them  gorge,  then,  for  a  few  days  longer. 
N'ever,  no,  never  shall  ihey  be  able  to  etlace  from  the  breasts 
uf  enlightened  men  the  hate  and  disgust  which  their  judicial 
murders  of  unfortunate  Canadians  h.ave  created  against  the 
British  government — never  shall  cease  the  aversion  which  it 
inspires  to  that  hateful  power,  stranger  alike  to  the  manners, 
!lie  i[)teresls,  the  sympathies,  as  it  is  to  the  land  of  freemen, 
'iiilii  it  is  driven  from  the  whole  extent,  immense  as  it  is,  of 
Xorlh  America,  which  its  detestable  and  ferocious  policy  has 
polluted.'"' 

To  the  disorders  of  wliich  Lord  Durham  has  unfolded  the 
'tidless  picture — to  tUe  disorders,  more  numerous  and  serious 
which  he  has  not  even  mentio'ied,  what  claim  does  he  pretend 
to  oppose'?  [Je  has  pointed  out  the  benefits  which  lilxirty  has 
produced  amon^  Independent  Americans — the  evils  which  des- 
potism has  produced  among  English  Americans.  He  has  dem- 
onstrated tile  impossibility  of  the  continuance  of  British  sway 
in  Canada,  and  he  concludes — to  maintain  the  same  state  of 
liiings.     What  inconsistency! 

In  another  article  1   shall  show  how  unjust  are  Lord  Dur- 


f'ti 


r    :  ■      i 


»;. 


• ) 


I 


'/ 

rr'i   ' 

i 

1. 

I  '     ': 

1    ^     ■ 

11 

1-   .•■ 

L  <' 


» 


,<;! 


!■  I 


J  * 


I. 
If  !■ 


180 


l^APINEAU's    REVIKW. 


ham's  complaints  against  Canfirln.  It  is  on  fhesft  pretended 
complaints,  notv\M'lhstanding,  Ihat  is  founried  the  great.,  the  sole 
means  of  Legislative  reform,  wliicii  Lord  Durham  rc^commends 
— the  absorpfion  of  the  French  by  ihe  Kngiish  popuhuion,  bv 
means  of  a  Union  of  the  two  Canadas.  This  was  tiie  treasure 
which  was  devis(;d  in  1808,  bv  the  monopolists  of  the  fur  trade 
at  the  moment  when  they  lo-^t  the  majority  of  which  they  had 
disposed  until  then.  From  thai  time,  and  ffr  tiiirty  years 
since,  a  government  professing  to  be  constitLitional,  leaning  on 
minorities,  has  ranged  itself  in  perpetual  hostility  to  the  ma- 
jority of  the  Representatives,  which,  after  the  two  last  general 
elections,  was  in  on(>  of  the  sessions  of  the  Assenibly  78  against 
8,  and  in  another  80  against  10  supporters  of  the  government. 
Of  the  members  composing  these  minorities  only  one  was  born 
in  the  Pr<wincc! 

Those  majorilios,  at  tiie  tinu)  o^  their  election,  had  been  in 
structed  by  their  constituents  to  insist  on  an  organic  change  in 
tiieir  Institutions,  and  to  demand  that  the  second  branch  of  the 
Legislature  be   elfctive.     This  d<^mand    has   been    rejected  by 
Lord  Dtir'iiam,   with  as  much  disdain  as  by  his  tory  predeces- 
sors.    The  British  Parliament   repels  it  equally.      *'VVhatyoii 
ask,"  it  savs,  "we  refuse.      But  we  pfraciouslv  wish  vou  to  be 
satisfied  with  what  wo  consider  suitable   (or   you.      The  Saxon 
race  knows  better  how  to  frovern  you  than  you  do  yourselves. 
That  race   in  Upf^er  Cannd.\   is  devoured    by  debt — you    have 
none.      Well,  we'll  embellish  an  extensive  and   beautiful  Prov- 
inces which  after  mixing  the  full  and  the  empty  together,  vviii 
owe  nothing.     You  shall  have   a  Viceroy,   and   our   (iracious 
.Sovereign,  to  her  title  of  Queen  of  Great  Britain  and  L'^^'and, 
will  add — and  of  British  North  America.      Ai)iure  your  narrow 
nalionalit  V.     Assume  one  more  vast,   more  noble.     Quit  your 
name  of  Canadians,  and  take  that  of  Britons  of  North  AVmeri- 
ca."     Ala:?!   if  our  first  name,  ofTiced  by  act  of  Parliament, 
has  been  too  short,  is    not  that   with    which   it   is  replaced  too 
long*?     Is  not  the  title  of  "Independent  Ameri.ians"  of  more 
just  proportions? 

An  hisloricai  account,  brief  and  impartial,  of  the  events 
which  have  passed  in  my  country  during  the  last  two  years, 
will  carry  to  all  minds  the  conviction  that  it  is  not  British  Stat- 
utes which  will  regulate  the  future  fate  of  Canada — but  that 
that  fate  is  written  in  the  Declaration  of  the  Rights  of  Man, 
and  in  the  political  Constitution  which  our  good,  wise  and  hap- 
py neighbors,  the  Independent  People  of  the  United  States, 


I.I 


ne  vvus  born 


lad  been  in 


PAPINEAUS    REVIEW. 


181 


(K 


have  framed  for  lliemselvcs.  These  know  well  ibsit  their  Rev- 
olution is  not  yet  completely  terminated.  In  the  opinion  of 
her  Statesmen,  that  revolution  shall  not  have  been  completed 
until  the  day  vvhen  the  Union  wilj  have  no  longer  on  her  bor- 
,.jrs  a  power,  v^'hich,  vsince  the  treaty  of  i7b3,  has  i^ot  ceased, 
even  in  times  of  absolute  peace,  to  intiigne,  in  order  to  bring 
about  a  dismemberment  of  the  Confederaiion — a  restless  power 
which  has  excited  Indian  v/ars,  which  it  perfidiously  fomented 
oy  the  distribution  of  arms  and  supplies  to  the  warlike  tribes, 
;uid  maintained  itself  in  the  violent  occupation  of  certain  por- 
lions  of  territory,  notwithstanding,  by  the  terms  of  Treaties, 
iliese  should  have  been,  long  before  this  day,  restored  to  the 
Americans! — in  fine,  an  nmbitious  power,  which  no  longer 
holds  possession  of  the  Canadas  in  the  legitimate  view  of  com- 
merce and  coioiiization,  but  as  a  military  post  whence  it  is 
preparing  to  pounce  on  the  American  Confederation,  in  order 
i,u  scatter  through  it  trouble,  division  and  ruin. 

LOUIS  PAPINEAU. 


■|  itii  >l 


M 


?  t 


1".  *• 


Wi 


A 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Cou'.rnenceinent  ol  the  Outbreak. 


ii 


i,i  ' 


h' 


11^  i 

P 


The  Ciuuidinn  governviieiit  now  became  seriously  nlarivi 
<jd,  and  the  course  that  it  adopted  was  in  perfect  conlbrmi^ 
ly  with  the  course  wliich  the  Home  Government  has  inva 
riably  practiced  in  deahnir  with  incipient  insurrections  in 
irehand,  and  elsewhere.  Measures  were  l'ortI)with  taken 
by  Sir  John  Colborne,  to  force  the  Canadians  into  a  pre 
mature  revolt.  He  well  knew,  that  if  the  adair  was  let 
alone,  the  result  would  be  a  grand  combined  movtmenL 
which  he  would  bo  unable  to  resist :  but  that  if  he  had  to 
deal  with  the  insuro;ents  in  detail,  all  would  be  well — and 
the  Government,  having  thus  determined  to  prccipitoto 
matters,  Montreal  was  selected  as  the  place  of  their  firs!  np 
eration  :  and  to  this  master  stroke  of  policy  may  bo  traced 
all  the  disasters  which  followed. 

Tiie  young  men's  association  called  ••the  sons  ot  Liberty' 
held  their  usual  monthly  meeting  there  on  Monday  Nov.  6. 
While  peaceably  assembled,  a  gang  ot  sworn  desperadoes 
designated  by  name  the  'Doric  Club'  instigated  by  the  Gov 
ernmei^t  assembled  in  the  neighborhood:  and  lay  in  wii: 
for  the  sons  of  liberty.  As  the  latter  were  reii ring  peacea- 
bly to  their  respective  quarters,  they  were  unexpectedly 
attacked,  by  these  madmen,  with  clubs,  stones,  and  all  sorts 
of  weapons.  Findins;  themselves  thus  suddenly  assailed. 
they  defended  themselves  like  '^"len,  and  soon  routed  their 
enemies,  inflicting  severe  punishment  on  some  of  thern,  al- 
ter which  they  retired  to  their  respective  homes ;  the 
Doric  lieroesthen  seeing  no  one  to  oppose  them,  became  in- 
stantly as  brave  as  lions.  The  magistraics  called  out  the 
troops,  who  withtliem  paraded  the  streets,  accompanied  by 
by  several  pieces  of  cannon.  The  assailants  of  the  sorisot 
liberty,  now  safe  under  the  protection  of  Etisrlish  bayonets. 
were  not  slow  in  committiuir  excesses.  The  most  pronii- 
iieut  of  these  was  the  attack  on  Mr.  Papineau's  property,  nf- 


AFFRAY   AT    ST.    DENMS. 


183 


tor  winch  liiey  proceeded  to  the  oflice  of  the  Vindicator,  a 
liberal  paper  ai^aiiist  which  their  rnjL^e  was  concentrated,-- 
(hey  gvtted  Uk^  buildiiio^,  and  threw  the  types,  presses,  books 
and  papers  into  the  street.  Warrants  were  issued  against 
;nembers  of  the  legislature  by  dozens  ;  hundreds  of  innocent 
men  were  arrested  on  mock  charnos  uf  high  treason,  and 
(Oiinnitted  to  the  dungeons.  In  iwenty-Iour  hours  the  lib- 
.riy  of  sjjeech  and  of  the  press  were  utterly  annihilated, 
iiiitlthe  Royal  Constitution  subverted. 

On  Friday,  the  9lh  a  party  oi  tiie  Royal  Monlreal  Caval- 
ry was  despatched  to  St.  Jolins  to  arrest  Drs.  Aviunon  and 
lieniaray,  and  having  eifected  their  purpose,  instead  of  con- 
leyiiig  these  persons  quietly  to  Montreal,  direct  by  ttie  rail 
load,  the  cavalry  resolved  to  strike  terror  tliroui!:h  the  coun- 
!r;v  by  marching  them  round  by  Chambly  iuid  Lon^ueiel  , 
>idistane,e  of  30  miles,  with  iron  letters  on  ther  hands  and 
iL^et,  and  ropes  round  their  necks.  Tlie  t);n->j)le  of  l.iOii_i'uc- 
;el  cissoinl)led  iuid  rescued  the  prisoners,  lininediateiy  a 
lu'ce  of  tour  liundred  regulars  v/ith  two  pieces  of  ordnance 
iiiid  a  howitzer  under  the  command  of  (Jol.  (xore,  was  des- 
jiaiclied  to  att:i.ck  St.  Dennis.  So  little  expectation  was 
tliorethat  such  ;m  armed  force  would  1)0  sent  to  arrest  half 
adozen  civiiiaiis,  that  no  preparation  had  been  made  to  op- 
|)ose  (Ikmu.     'Tile  iirst  notice  Dr.  Wool  lied  Nelson  received 

heir  appr^/ch,  was  a  cannon  ball  sent  through  the  ljr^T;se, 

p'here  he  and   his  friends  and  neighbors  were  assembled, 

fchlcli  killed  three  men  ;  then  followed  a  second  which  kil- 

Wtwo  others,  dasiiiug  out  the  brains  of  one  and  scattering 

ilifliTi  on  the  Doctor,  who  tlien  told  his  friends  that  it  was 

not  their  persons  biit  their  lives  that  was  soua-ht,  and  il  they 

Nuld  not  be  butciiered  where  they  stoodthey  must  I'lu^hi.  it 

va?  not   till  all  this  had    happened  that  they   resorted  to 

"I'lis.     Tiuire  wi>re  not  more  than  thirty  men  at  St.  Dennis 

i'i'(;vious  to  the  arrival  of  the  troops,  and  these  were  collect- 

(lionrevent  the  sudden  seizure  of  Dr.  Nelsoif.     The  roar 

:!ho  camion  brought  toi^etber  about  300  men.  some  armed 

'•'■Hh  (owlimi'  pieces  and  others  witli  pitchforks,  Dr.  Nelson 

ked  bimselt  immediately  at  their  head,  and  after  an   en- 

ajMneiit  of  six   hours  and  a   half,  repulsed  the  royal  sof- 

s,  with  a  loss  of  ilfty  men  and  one  field  piece.     The  Pa- 
-^'i  losi 


}.l'': 
w^ 


hi 


K'i! 


ss  was 


trilhng. 


I  '' 


*.:;>( 


iil 


!li 


!'i! 


1 


184 


AFFAIR    OP    ST.    CHARLES. 


This  was  the  first  resfiilar  enirnirement  for  (Canadian  In- 
depeiideuce,  so  honorable  to  Dr.  JNeison  and  his  brave  band 
of  undisciplined  patriots. 

Imniedicitelv  alter  this  affair,  Sir  John  Colborno  wrote  to 
Sir  h\  B.  Head,  to  send  him  all  the  troops  he  could  spare,— 
Sir  Francis  sent  all. 

Saturday,  November  25,  Col.  Wcthorell  with  700rr(rii. 
lars,  infantry  and   eavahy.    aiui   ibur  liold  pieces,  was  des- 
patched to  St.  Charlos,  wnore  several  oflhe  leadin;4-relora!- 
ers  from  xMontreal,  and  other  t)laces,  had  retired  as  a  p'hirr 
of  saiety.     Here,   as  at  St   l)t;iniis,   no  preparations  were 
made,  either  detensive  or  offensive,  because  no  enemy  was 
expected  or  danger  ;mticipated.     l>ut  when  it  v/as  ascer- 
tained that  tlie  royal  troops    were  approachinii:  them  iiij 
liostile  array,  the   tocsin  was  sounded  and  about  1500  I'ar  | 
mers,  badly  armed,  and  iiJ:nor;mt  of  tlie  art  ot  war,  asseni- 
bled,  and  made  the  best  defences  tliey  could   for  so  short.ii 
notice.     Coi.  Wetlierel  stated  in  liis  despatches  lo  Sir  Jo!i:i 
Colborne,  th;it  he  accomplished  his  march  witliout  oppo^i- 
tion  or  hindrance,  eKCC[)t  (rom  the  breakin;j;  of  bridL^ey,  iiii 
til  within  a  mile  oCthe  filace  where  tlio  patriots  wcw  {)o.>UHi. 
A  scouting-  party  fired  at  him  from  the  left  bank  of  the  Ki- 
cheiieu,  wiiicli   lie  dispersed,  and  on  advanci;j^-  was  lircJl 
at  from  a  barn,  whicii  lie  burned  ;  havinjr  arrived  witiiiii 
about  two  hundred  yards  of  their  works,  he  took  a  posifinul 
on  their  front.     'Tlie  patriots  at  tiiis  time,  was  stron<r!y  and| 
skilfully  posted  within  and  without  tiieir  works,  and  read; 
to  receive  their  enemy.     Hut  unfortunately  not  more  t!i 
one  third  ofthem  were  supplied  with  muskets,     lioweverl 
upon  tlie  approach  of  the  royal  troops,  thev  opened  a  heavi] 
and  well  directed  fire,  and  defended  themelves  with  nu  o 
stinacy  and  determination  which  would  have  done  lioiioij 
to  veterans,     Witherell  findin'_r   tb.at  no  impression,  to  airj 
effect,  could  be  made  on  th(^m  from  the  [losiiion  he  had  tn 
ken,  advanced  to  anotlier  of  about  orte  liuiidred  vaids  tiv;i 
theiiank  of  their  work's;  but  hndiuiT  the  defenders  still  ol>ii 
nate,  and  determined  to  maintain  their  5j,-round  to  the  i.b' 
the  charofe  was  ordered,  which  the  patriots  withstood  wiil^ 
a  firmness  that  astonished  thrir  l)etter  disciplined  eiiomy- 
they  fought   bravely,  naintaincd    their  ground  niitil  il'^ 


AFFAIR   OF   ST.    CIIARLTIS. 


185 


nadian  In- 

)rave  band 

e  wrote  to 
Id  snare,— 

7(H)  ri'mi- 
3S,  wasdcs- 
iii^'  relorih- 
i  as  a  p'.jiC' 
it  ions  wine 

was  ascer- 
icr  them  ill 
it'^loUO  lar- 
war,  asseni- 
or  so  short ii 
^  io»Sir  John 
hoiU  oppoii- 
bridL^es.  un 
were  ported 
Iv  of  the  ill 
!j'^-  was  iii'L"! 
ivcd  withiji 
V  a  position^ 
tron<i:lyar,d 
aiul  reiui; 
nioi'c  tliaii 
However 
lied  a  heavv 
with  aii  o'' 
done  1 101:01" 
seioii,  to  ; 
in  he  had  t;i 
d  yards  troii 
ers  siill  oIn 
id  to  tiie  ill?' 
th stood  ^vi!i 
lied  enemy- 
nd  until  ili 


v.orks  were  carried,  and  all  tlic  buddings  wuhui  i:i' 'r  tem- 
oiavy  lortilicalious  burui, — not  till  then  did  ih<\>'j  brave 
.iidisciplined  nieii  give  j^roniid.  I  led  ihcy  been  im  armed 
,,ikI  supplied  with  artillery,  Ool.  VVithercll  would  i\ave  had 
(liflereiit  report  to  make  to  ids  Commander  m  e.hj;;!'.  lUll 
idiese  bravo  men  took  shelter  iri  a  barn  (iiled  with  hay 
,,!iJ  straw  ;  the  royal  butciiors  set  iire  to  i(,  and  burncid 
iiein  alive,  1.00  were  drowned  in  crossing;  the  Kiciielieti.— 
The  village  of  St.  Ciiarles  was  entirely  binnc^l  by  the  soi- 
iliers  during  the  attack;  those  of  tiie  ndiabitants  who  escaped 
iic  tlames  perished  in  tlie  woods  Ironi  tiio  eileec  o;  iright 
iiiid  cold. 

The  Patriots  lost  in  killed  I'V  simt,  fire,  ami  water  aboiiC 
mi    M'iie  Ikitish  troops  i?,  killed  <jnd  37  wounded.     Thti 
iiisoners  that  fell  into  their  hands  wer(!  inhumanly  treate<i 
iiiidniany  of  the  wounded  murdered  in  cold  l)loou. 
After  tliis  memorable  aifair,  the  patriot  leaders  were  com- 
tiled  to  seek  safety  in  the  Untcd  States. 
A  short  time  previous  to  the  battle  of  St.  Dennis,  a  mes- 
enger  was  sent  from  Montreal  to  Toronto  craving  aid  of 
he  reformers  in  the  Upper  Province.     The  leading  reform 
rsat  Toronto,  sent  another  messenger  to  Montreal  to  en 
[iiire  into  the  state  of  affairs  there.     His  prompt  return  and 
ncouiaging  report,  decided  them  to  help   their  sufrering 
rethren  in  the  Lower  Province.     An  Executive   was  se- 
retly  named,  plans  framed  and  adopted,  and  the  outbreak 
ixed  for  the  7th  December,  1837.     Gen.  Van  Egmond  one, 
1  Napoleon's  favorite  officers,  was  commissioned,  and  other 
len  of  military  skill.     Mr.  McKenzie  was  also  appointed 
•  arrange  details  and  visit  every  trusty    leader  within  4(» 
inilcsof  Toronto.     During  this  time  the  battle  of  St  Charlef? 
;is  fought.     Mr.  McKenzie  fulfilled  the  duty  assigned  to 
II!)  with  the  utmi^^t  secrecy  and  promptitude.     The  ex 
icutivG  had  obtained  a   few  keg?  of  powder  in  a  way  n,ot 
ikely  to  have  created  suspicion,  and  for  the  success  of  their 
lesign  they  mainly  depended  on  4000  muskets  and  bayo- 
us, swords,  &c.,  in  the  city  hall  of  Toronto.     Their  plan 
as  to  enter  the  city. — seize  the  arms,  the  governor  and 
IS  tribe  of  officials, — take  possession  of  the  vacant  garis- 
—proclaim  a  repubhc,   with  Dr.  Rolph  President  pro- 

CI 


i 


■:| 


'^J! 


I  < : 


I  ,       1 


if^l 


i 


^    f 


186 


APFAIR   OF    ST.    CHARLES. 


tern,— run  the  Steamers  with  1000  men  to  Kingston,  nnd 
suddenly  take  possession  of  Fort  Henry.  Their  next  de 
sign  was  to  move  on  Lower  Canada ;  and  had  not  their 
plans  been  interrupted,  EngUsh  power  would  have  been 
swept  from  Canada,  or  confined  to  Q,uebec. 

It  was  acknowledged  by  Gov.  Head,  in  his  book,  latelv 
published  in  London,  that  had  it  not  been  lor  the  corrupt] 
means,  the  base  and  unworthy  tricks,  to  which  he  resorted, 
to  carry  the  elections,  and  deceive  the  home  governmeiuj 
as  to  the  state  of  the  public  mind  in  Canada,  England  was' 
prepared  to  yield  to  the  Canadas  their  independence  rather] 
than  contend  against  the  united  determination  of  both  Pro- 
▼mces. 


I  r 


I    i: 


IrFi 


■  If 

I  > 


■<  I '. 


( 


Ito' 


CHAPTER  XX, 


Cause  of  the  Juilure  at  Toronto. 


4 


On  Saturday,  the  3d.  of  December,  a  certain  official  char- 
acter went  to  Dr.  Rolph  the  patriot  leader,  and  told  him 
that  arms  had  been  given  out  by  Gov.  Mead  that  night,  to 
arm  four  companies,  to  be  instantly  sent  to  arrest  the  iead- 
iior  men  through  the  country,  as  had  be-^n  previously  at- 
tempted with  partial  success  in  Lower  Canada,a  month  be- 
iore  ;  that  Sir  Francis  had  ascertained  their  plans.  These 
stories,  although  utterly  false,  were  believed  by  the  Doctor, 
;md  without  investigating  the  report,  he  despatched  a  mes- 
seiiijer  to  a  friend  nine  miles  north  with  alike  intimation, 
notifying  Col.  Lount  and  friends,  to  come  in  on  Monday, 
instead  of  Thursday.  When  the  messenger  arrived  he 
iound  the  Col.  was  not  at  home,  and  without  waiting  for 
iiiiii,  told  tlie  unpleasant  news  to  all  the  country,  as  al- 
so, of  the  failures  in  Lower  Canada.  At  lengtli  Col.  Lount 
returned,  and  was  informed  of  the  circumstances,  and  in- 
stantly enquired  if  Mr.  McKenzie  knew  it.  No  one  had  in  - 
formed  him.  Saturday  evening,  on  approaching  the  city, 
.\lr.  McKenzie  was  first  informed  of  what  had  been  done — 
He  immediately  sent  Col.  Gibson's  man  to  Mr.  Lount  tore- 
call  the  order,  and  to  await  till  Thursday,  the  day  appoint- 
ed, but  it  was  too  late.  The  former  messenger  had  told  ev- 
ery body  to  the  north,  and  Mr.  Lount's  reply,  which  Mr. 
McKenzie  received  on  Monday  evening,  was  th;\t  he  and 
his  men  were  on  their  way.  Uncertain  as  to  Lount's  move- 
ments, Mr.  McKenzie  sent  messengers  to  various  plabes,  but 
these  were  delayed,  and  instead  of  4000  bold  farmers,  on 
Thursday,  with  military  leaders,  there  were  80  or  90  men 
oil  Monday,  wearied  with  traveling  40  miles  on  bad  roads 
and  dispirited  by  the  news  of  the  reverses  in  Lower  Canada. 
Of  the  condition  of  the  city  after  ten  on  the  morning  of 


I  1 


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188 


CAUSK    OF    THE    FAILURE 


/  Thursday,  iiothin;^:  was  known.  None  of  the  gentlemen 
;  in  Toronto,  who  iiud  called  out  this  party,  cither  jonied  it. 
!  or  sent  any  word.  Mr.  iMcKeiizie  tooic  every  necessurv 
precaution  to  prevent  mttjlliii^encureaclnnfjthe  Ciov.  posted 
ji^uards  on  the  roads  lea(iin<,^  to  the  city,  and  with  three  of  Ins 
comrades  securt^d  a  number  ot  prisoners,  lie  ur^^ed  thciii 
witli  *,freat  earnestness  to  advance  and  take  immodiat!; 
possession  oCtfie  city,  and  oflered  to  head  them.  lUit  Col. 
Loinit,  Mr.  I.iOyd  and  -Mr.  Gil^son,  stronirly  objected,  iiutii 
intelliirenee  could  be  obtained  of  the  state  ot"  tlie  to  vij.  o; 
until  their  immbers  were  auj^'uniented.  When  Mr.  Mr. 
Kenzie's  entreaties  failed,  he  proposed  to  risk  his  life  li" 
ridini^  into  the  city  with  only  three  friends,  althouu'ha  war 
rant  for  h!i>'h  treason  standi  hini  in  the  face, — there  to  n)U.so 
liieir  comrades,  o-ain  tidin^-s,  imd  briiii^  Drs.  Rolph  uik' 
Morrison  back  with  him.  Tiie  nia-ht  was  quite  dark,  and 
ihey  had  not  ridden  tar  whoii  they  mr;t  Powell,  then  Mayor 
of  Toronto,  and  Major  MeDonell.  both  of  whom  he  arrested 
and  scjui  back  in  charge  of  (/apt.  Anderson  and  aiiothoi 
man,  strictly  er.j;»inini;-  tboin  to  keep  the  prisoners  m  front. 
McKenzie  iln'.n  coiUMiued  his  course  tor  the  city  wiilionc 
companion,  a  daring-  but  necessary  act,  in  the  slate  of  fee  I - 
ini;  ot  the  men.  Before  t'ley  irnt  to  the  city,  Powell  wId 
liad  shot  Anderson  witli  a  concealed  pistol,  rode  furioiislv 
past  to  alarn.i  the  (j^overnor,  Mcivenzie  gave  chase  and  caiijt; 
up  with  him,  n[)on  which  Powell  advanced  and  preseutot' 
a  loaded  pistol  to  his  breast  which  ilasiied.  McKenzie  (ir- 
ed  but  missed.  Powell  escaped,  and  after  concealmcr  jinri- 
self  sometime  beiiind  a  log,  reached  Sir  Francis  and  awa- 
kened him  from  his  sleep.  McKenzie  recaptured  Maj!)! 
McDoneil  and  a  person  whom  tlu;  justices  had  sent  to  warn 
the  government  of  its  danirer,  and  returned  to  Montgomery 
where  he  found  Col.  xMoo.lie  of  tlie  reirulars  dyiiKT;,  au 
Capt.  Stewart  of  the  Navy,  in  custody.  These  had  sliot.ii. 
the  guards,  but  had  failed  to  pass  them. 

Other  messengers  wliom  trie  patriots  sent  to  town,  wore 
arrested.  No  one  came  from  thence.  On  l^uesday,  'it 
noon,  they  were  on  their  march  to  the  city,  gr  -atly  increio- 
ed  in  strength,  when  they  met  Dr.  [lolph  and  the  Hon.  Ko- 
bert  Baldwin,  with  a  flajrot  truce  from  Sir  Francis,  as'an^ 


'.'':• 


AT   TOIIONTO. 


180 


ivhat  ihoy  wanfcd.     TMiu  reply  was — "A  free  Convention 
ol  ilie  IV(ij)lo."    'I'lin  inessrM^^crsiTtnru'Jtl !  l)Ut  Dr.  Hoiph 
advised    tlii'in  lo  lollow  liim.  in  li.-ill'  on  hour;  which  they 
did  in  two  divisions.     When  a  nnl(!  tVnm  town,   the  sanric 
iii(3sscnf.:('rs  met  tlieni  airuin,  and  eonmuniicated  Sir  l^'ran- 
iMs'  relus.'il — iind  then  Dr.  Kolph  privately  advised  that  ihcy 
should  not  enter  tlio  city  until  dark,  wli;'     iie,   nieantirne, 
would  prej  ar(3  the  town's  people.     Th  -  itaj^^  *etnrned.     At 
dark,  the  patriots  acrnin  marclied  for  town,  about  seven  hun- 
dred and  liliy  stroiiir.     On  their  way  they  took  (^apt.  Du^- 
oraii  and  others  of  JSir  Francis'  ofticors  prisoners.     About 
half"  a  mile  Ironi  tho  market  scpiare,  a  party  of  the  royalists 
tired  some  random  shots  and  ran.     Col.  Lount's  riflemen, 
111  front  returned  thi;  fire  :  and  Mr.  M'Kenzie,  who  was  be- 
tween them  and  the  er  eniy,  narrowly  escaped  being  shot. 
lie linstened  hack  and  h^'do  them  cease  firing;  hut  a  panic 
had  seized  the  rear,  and  in  a  short  time  nearly  the  whole 
lorce  was  on  the  retreat.     M'Kenzie  ordered  them  to  halt, 
iiccused   them  of  cowardice,  and  declared   that  there  was 
nothing  to   ho  afraid  of.  and  even   threatened  to  shoot  at 
ihcni  if  they  did  not  return  and  advance.   When  they  came 
10  a  stand,  he  told  them  that  the  steamers  were  sent  off  for 
the  Oranaemen  of  the  other  districts  ;  that  he  had  no  (\ou\it 
the  tories  were  as  frightened,  and  more  so,  than  they  were; 
that  what  was  mere  child's  play  that  ni^ht  might  be  im- 
prncticahlo  tomorrow  ;  asked  them  iviw  ihey  could  think 
i;l  looking- wi ft;  or  sweet-heart  in  the  face,  if,  after  all  their 
pretended  bravery,  they  acted  the  part  of  poltroons,  and  let 
slip  the  nobh  st  opportunity  of  deliverino-  Canada  ever  of- 
fered to  man?     All  lie  said  was  of  no  avail.     Ho  called  out 
for  twenty  volunteers  to  accompany  him  into  the  cit  y — 
join  their  friends  there,  and  drive  the  tories  before  them, 
or  nobly  perish  in  the  attempt.     There  were  three  Scotch- 
men tm'iH'd  out,  but  no  more.     Next  morning,  out  of  750, 
but  300  con  id  he  mustered.     M'Kenzie  called  them  togeth- 
er; apoiooiscd  for  his  strong  censures  the  previous  even- 
ing; reniindcd  them  that  he  had  set  an  example,  vvhich  if 
hey  h;  d  iollowed,  Toronto  miijht  have  been  theirs;  told 
ihem  that,  the  enemy  had  been  reinforced,  biit  that  they 
would  vet  succeed  if  thev  hud  confidence  in  themselves. 
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23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

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CAUSE    OF   THE    FAILURE 


M'Kenzie,  Lount,  and  Capt.  Alves.  went  forthwith  to  collect 
arms,  the  want  of  which  was  very  perplexin^iif,  and  of  which 
they  stood  greatly  in  need — as  well  to  take  prisoners,  and 
bring  in  the  mails  i'rom  and  to  the  United  ^^tates  and  Eng 
land — all  of  which  they  did. 

On  Thursday,  the  tories,  two  thousand  strong-,  with  a 
couple  of  field  jjieccs,  managed  by  ariilleryniL'n  irom  thi. 
regular  army,  marched  out  to  nieoi  tiie  ])atriots — wlio  haci 
a  number  ot  bravo  and  darini^;  men,  although  not  excecdin^ 
four  hundred  in  all.  M'Kenzie,  as  soon  as  he  saw  theun 
oniy,  gallojjed  towards  tliom,  to  reconoitre  and  ascertai;; 
then'  strength  ;  returned,  and  entreated  his  men  to  staml 
and  fight  them,  which  they  resolved  to  do  ;  bi:t  some  oi' 
their  captains  and  about  one  hundred  and  liity  men,  v/itii 
arms  in  their  hands,  stood  opposite  Blontgomery's  hotel  as 
idle  spectators.  Tliose  who  stood  their  ground  did  do; 
exceed  two  hundred,  of  whom,  not  more  tha,i  one 
half  had  serviceable  otuis  ;  but  these  bravely  withstood  twn 
thousand  for  upwards  of  iifty  minutes  ;  threw  tlie  lines  cm 
their  enemies  several  times  into  confusion  ;  a  scouting  par- 
ty advanced,  and  posting  themselves  behind  tlic  stamps. 
sent  unerring  death  for  some  time  into  the  tory  ranks.  Oc 
the  part  of  the  patriots,  the  {\nvv^  was  kept  up  m  fine  style. 
and  so  well  directed  that  Gov.  Head,  with  his  two  thousand 
tories,  were  about  c-iving  ground,  wlien  Col.  Fitzixibbon. 
with  a  stronsf  party,  advanced  and  flanked  them,  unper- 
ceived,  and  tims  saved  Sir  Francis  from  the  diso^race  of  an 
ignoble  defeat,  by  a  handful  of  farmers.  Had  those  wiio 
stood  aloof  during  the  action  had  the  same  confidence  in 
themselves  that  M'Kenzie  and  his  brave  compatriots  had, 
they  would  have  driven  Gov.  Head  and  his  slavisli  liordi 
of  tories  into  Lake  Ontario. 

Previous  to  the  engagement,  M'Kenzie  ordered  a  detach 
mcnt  of  sixty  men,  under  the  command  of  the  gallant,  but 
iil-fated  Capt.  Matthews,  to  take  a  circuitous  route,  enter 
the  city,  and  set  fire  to  the  Don  bridge,  and  advance  to  the 
Market  square,  which  he  effected — but  too  late  to  gain  the 
object  intended,  which  was  to  divert  the  enemy  from  the 
patriot  camp  till  evening  hadstrenirthened  their  numbers. 


AT    TORONTO. 


191 


3Ls — who  ha 


Col.  Van  Esmond,  their  commander-in-chief,  arrived 
jiist  before  llieir  deleat ;  but  too  iale  to  be  of  any  service, 
ilad  M'Kenzie  had  men  enongh  to  have  seemed  histianks, 
and  l)nt  one  field-|)itce,  the  late  of  l'|i);er  Cnnnda  would 
have  l)een  diU'erent.  Lie  nsed  every  means  aiid  stralagem 
winch  an  able  otiicer  and  determined  leader  could  devise 
he  shunned  no  danger;  hesitiited  al  no  dillicnUy,  .'md  nev 
erlejt  the  held  nntil  lie  was  nenrly  alone,  ih^  ;ind  Col.  Si- 
ins  I'letclier  were  the  last  to  leave  it.  Fletcher  nctnaliy 
dragged  him  off;  gave  him  his  great  coat  to  disanise  him  ; 
lulling  him  at  the  same  time  that  his  (M'ivenzie's'^  lile  was 
01  more  consequence  to  the  cause  and  iheconntry  than  his 
own.  Mis  escape  to  Col.  Lount  and  his  iriends  was  next 
to  a  miracle. 

immediately  after  this  affair,  the  cowardly  Governor, 
mid  his  equally  cowardly  followers,  burnt  Monlgomery's 
splendid  hotel,  outhouses  and  ollices — a  mnn  ulio  liad  no- 
thing to  do  with  the  revolt,  and  wliose  only  crime  wns  that 
he  was  a  reformer.  T!e  was  taken  prisoner,  tried  and  con- 
demned to  the  gallows,  merely  because  the  patriots  rendez- 
voused at  his  house  in  his  absence. 

Mr.  Gibson's  house  and  well  filled  barns  were  next  des- 
iroyed . 

We  have  been  thus  minute  in  detailintr  the  circumstan- 
ces which  led  to  the  uniortimate  failure  at  Toronto,  to 
show  that  it  was  in  no  way  attributable  to  Mr.  M'Kenzie. 
it  hns  been  iudnstriously  circulated  to  his  prejudice,  that 
it  was  entirely  owing  to  his  bnd  management  and  coward- 
ice. This  is  far  from  being  the  fact,  It  is  well  known  to 
all  who  witnessed  his  conduct,  that  it  was  not  owing  to 
any  w;mt  of  management,  energy,  or  decision,  on  his  part, 
ihatthe  day  wms  lost.  The  martyrs^  l.iOunt  and  Matthews, 
often  declared,  when  in  ])rison,  and  under  sentence  of 
deatli,that  "  if  M'Kenzie's  plans  had  been  acted  upon,  and 
his  counsel  followed,  tlieir  success  would  have  been  inevi- 
Uible."  It  was  his  daring  contempt  of  danger  that  his 
friends  most  blamed  him  for. 

'""^The  principal  causes  of  the  failure  were,  the  want  of 
arms,  the  altering  of  the  original  day  of  the  general  out- 
break from  Thursday  to  Monday,   and  the  circulating  of 


h  1 


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192 


CAUSE  OF  THE  FAILURE 


the  false  report  that  Sir  Francis  had  discovered  their  plans. 
and  had  issued  arms  to  four  companies  of  the  militiu  to  ap- 
prehend the  rino;|eaders.  which  report  was  believed,  and 
consequently  cast  a  damp  on  the  ardor  of  many. 

Had  x\rKonzie  not  been  thwarted,  by  counter  orders  as 
to  the  time  of  rendezvousing,  one  hundred  men  could  have 
taken  Toronto  on  Tluirsday.  But  the  alarm  once  criven. 
it  required  resolution  and  courage,  which  plainly  appear  to 
hav^e  been  wantinsf-  As  there  were  few  troops,  the  coun- 
try people,  had  they  acted  in  the  spirit  of  their  previous  re- 
solutions, could  liave  cleared  Upper  Canada,  it  but  armed 
with  broom-sticks.  Until  the  oranc:emen  arrived,  out  of 
thirty-hve  tfiousand  persons  \n  and  within  sixteen  miles  of 
Toronto,  only  one  liundredand  fifty  joined  Sir  Francis  after 
he  had  'beat  to  arrns"ior  two  whole  days.  The  most  oi 
these  were  tory  colle<2:e  boys,  lawyers  and  judi^es.  Such 
was  the  popular  feeling  against  him.  But  when  the  people 
fail,  all  fails — as  they  surely  did  in  the  affair  of  the  Toron- 
to revolt. 

After  many  hair-breadth  escapes  Mr.  M'Kenzie  arrived 
at  Buffalo,  on  the  ilth  December,  nearly  worn  out  and 
destitute. 

Late  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  Deceii'iber,  Dr.  Dan- 
combe  was  informed  by  a  friend  immediately  from  Toron- 
to, that  warrants  for  high  treason,  against  fiim  and  some 
others  in  the  London  district,  were  issued  at  Toronto,  for 
his  and  their  immediate  arrest;  and  he  was  advised  to  con- 
sult his  personal  safety.  The  Doctor,  conscious  of  havino 
done  no  overt  act  to  justify  the  governmefit  in  pursniiiij 
such  a  course  towards  him,  wavS  at  a  loss,  for  some  time, 
what  to  do,  or  how  Ko  act ;  but  havmg  consulted  some  of 
his  friends,  they  advised  him  to  face  the  storm,  and  s^ind 
his  ground  A  meeting  of  the  reformers  was  forthwith  '  di- 
ed, to  deliberate  what  measures  were  best  calculated  to'Vi/iet 
the  exigency  of  the  times.  Anions:  the  resolutions  passed, 
it  was  resolved  to  protect  the  Doctor,  and  to  prevent  nr- 
rests  for  treason  in  the  London  district,  arid  to  arm  them- 
selves, and  proceed,  under  his  command,  to  liberate  J.  J. 
Parker,  who  was  then  incarcerated  for  hi<Th  treason  in  the 
Hamilton  jail.    Unfortunately  for  Parker,  he  was  removed, 


w  "^ 


'^^- 


>- 


their  plans, 
iilitiu  to  ap- 
ilievedj  and 

er  orders  as 
could  have 
^nce  niven. 
ly  appear  to 
,  the  conn- 
previous  rc- 
:  but  armed 
ived,  out  oi' 
;en   miles  of 
'^rancis  after 
rhe  most  ol 
lijfes.     Such 
11  the  people 
[the  Toron- 

mzie  arrived 
orn  out  and 


AT    TORONTO. 


193 


\v  days  pr.jvio.is,  to  Toronto.  This  was  ths  first  at- 
•)i  ill  the  London  district,  of  a  forcible  resistance  to  the 
eninieiit. 

.  the  eveiiiii;j^  of  the  10th,  E.  M.  received  despatches 

1  Yoiiiif^  street,  stutiULi'  that  M'tvenzie  was  in  po3>session 

Toronto  ;  ur^nng  hiin  to  uuister  the  Irieuds,  and  rnarcJi 

mtly  to  that   capital.     This  was  the  first  intimation 

*  had  of  the  outbreak.     Tiiey  expected  it ;  but  not  just 

1.     Dr.  Duncoinbe  received  another,  ininiediately  after- 

ds,  to  the  same  eifect.    Heralds  were  instantly  despatch- 

0  summons  the  friends  of  liberty  to  arms,  and  to  ren- 

vods  at  Oakland,  wliere  the  Doctor  should  join  them. 

16  roads  were  very  bad,   and  in  some  places  almost  in> 

.sible,conse(|uently  the  nio3senH"ers  were  some  lime  execu- 

ir  their  orders.  The  sturdy  yeomanry,  however,turnedout 

they   were  warned,  without  one  waitiniJ^  for  the  other. 

ose  who   were  unfit   for  field   service   harnessed  their 

.lis,  collected  provisions,  and  drove  to  tho  cinnp.     A[)- 

U'ances  v/ere  favorable  ;  the  country  w;is  in  motion;  tfio 

ids  to  the  rendezvous  crowded  v/itli  volunteers. 

Government,  havln^^  received  early   intiination  of  tin? 

Idjn  npp-'al  to  arms  in  t'le  London   district,  despatched 

'.  McNab  witli  (ive  hundred  of  those  torics  who  assisi- 

a  defealini!;  M'Kenzie,  with  orders  to  disperse  the  rebels, 

'^Wkncombe  and  other  leaders,  and  send  them  prison- 

fi)  Toronto. 

11  the  IBth,  the  patriots  amounted  to  about  six  hundred 

'ving  men,   exchksive  of  those  unarmed.     Intelligence 

this  day  received  that  McNab  was  at  Brantford,  on 

vay  to  attack  them.     The  men  were  very  anxious,  and 

uiouslyjjinsisted  on  meeting  him.     To  allay  their  impa- 

it  was  reported  they  were  to  attack  Col.  Simmons, 

id  collected  a  body  of  Orangemen  at  Simcoe,  to  join 

ab;  and  after  defeating  him,  to  fall  in  McNub's  rear. 

lie  preparations  were  bemof  made,  the  unfortunate  tid- 

of  M'Kenzie's  defeat  arrived,  with  the  news  of  the  sad 

/'ses  in  the  Lower  Province.     A  consultation  was  had 

aediatelv,  in  which  one  party  urged  the  iiecessity  ot 

pking  McNab  forthwith  :  that  the  news  of  his  defeat 

ltd  strike  a  panic  among  the  tories,  who,  notwithstand- 


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S.'i 


it''!    'S''  %        ' 


IT' 


194 


^' 


.^- 


CAUSE    OP   THK    FAILURE 


ing  havinsftho  orovernmenton  their  side,  were  conscious  of 
their  weakness.  It  would  also  establish  the  wavering,  and 
induce  th  ^  more  resolute  to  rally  to  their  standard,  and  per- 
haps sliinulate  their  friends  throuii^hout  the  Province  to  co- 
operate with  them.  Anotlier  party,  was  of  the  opinion, 
that  as  the  friends  at  Toronto  were  defeated,  the  report  of 
it  would  cast  a  j^h^om  on  the  ardor  of  many  of  their  best 
friends;  g'ive  coiiraoe  to  their  enemies,  and  induce  tliewa- 
verintr  and  timid  to  join  lliem.  Besides,  they  were  igno- 
rant wiietlier  their  friends  in  other  parts  of  the  Province 
had  risen  in  arms  ;  and  they  had  no  ])rospect  of  receivini: 
reinforcements  fioni  any  quarter,  and  were  also  deficient 
in  arms,  ammunition,  and  other  military  stores :  and  not 
knowinir  how  or  where  to  procure  them;  and  beinii:then 
nearly  surrounded  by  their  implacable  enemies — Col.  31c- 
Nab  on  one  ll.uik,  ^-'immons  on  the  other,  and  Askiris  in 
their  front — all  tiiin2:s  considered,  they  deemed  it  most  ad- 
visable  to  break  up  and  disperse,  and  await  a  moi'e  favora- 
ble opportunity.  But  the  party  for  attacking  McNab.  in- 
sisted on  ilieir  opini(^n  ;  and.  after  some  warm  debates,  it | 
was  resolved  to  march  to  Norwich,  obtain  recruits,  and 
there  n^aintnin  themselves,  until  they  were  informed  wheth- 
er any  ot'ner  part  of  the  Province  were  under  arms;  and,, 
if  obliijed  to  al)andon  that  post,  to  fall  back  on  Maiden,  and 
there  fortify  and  defend  themselves  to  the  very  last.'  Late 
in  the  the  evenim>-,  orders  were  accordingly  given  to  retire 
oil  Norwich.  On  the  march,  the  men  became  dishearten- 
ed, they  saw  their  back  turned  to  the  enemy,  when  they 
expected  to  be  led  against  him.  They  considered  their 
efforts  for  freedom  hopeless;  and  during  the  nii^ht  they' 
dropt  off  one  after  another,  until,  before  morninof,  theva!l| 
disappeared  except  a  (ew  who  remained  with  Doctor  Dun- 
combe  ;  and  these  were  directed  to  provide  for  their  safety.! 
Handbills  were  immediately  circulated  by  Sir  Francis! 
Bond  Head,  offering  a  reward  of  four  thousand  dollars  fori 
Diincombe's  apprehension.  After  six  weeks'  hiding  iiicel-l 
lars,  dodging  in  woods  and  swainps,  and  suffering  everyl 
hardship  and  privation  a  person  could  endure  and  hve,| 
through  the  interposition  of  a  kind  Providence,  and  the  as- 
sistance of  friends,  he  arrived  at  Detroit,  a  mere  skeleton. 


AT  TORONTO. 


195 


Two  other  leaders,  Jesse  Pauldino;  and  Mr.  Fisher  were 
sixty-four  days  in  the  woods,  the  snow  knee  deep,  before 
they  effected  their  escnpe  ;  during  five  of  which  thoy  sub- 
sisted on  one  smull  cracker  each."  It  is  generally  supposed 
that  many  perished  with  hunger  and  cold,  of  whom  (here 
IS  no  account. 

The  citizens  of  Buffalo,  some  days  previous  to  Mr.  M'- 
Kenzie's  escape,  held  meetings  to  consult  in  what  way  they 
could  best  assist  the  Canadian  patriots  to  obtain  their  Inde- 
pendence. The  greatest  enthusiasm  prevailed  there,  and 
oil  the  frontier  generally  m  behalf  of  the  Canadians.  On 
the  evening  of  the  11th  December,  it  was  wrouffht  up  to 
the  highest  point  of  intensity  by  the  immense  meeting  gath- 
ered at  the  theatre  at  Buffalo,  with  the  expectation  of  hear- 
ing Dr.  Rolph,  one  of  the  proscribed.  He  did  not  appear : 
but  the  news  was  communicated  that  one  of  the  leaders  of 
the  insurgent  movement  in  Upper  Canada,  was  actually  in 
the  house  of  Dr.  Chapin,  a  distinguished  revolutionary  pa- 
triot. The  Doctor  attended  the  meeting ;  was  called  to 
the  chair,  and  then  commenced  a  scene  of  thrilling  inter- 
est. The  Doctor  said  that  he  held  a  priceless  friend  and 
patriot  under  his  protection ;  that  the  blood-hounds  of  Ca- 
nada were  on  his  trail,  thirsting  for  his  life's  blood.  Who 
is  he?  cried  a  voice.  William  Lyon  J^fKenzie  was  the 
answer.  The  vast  assembly  burst  into  a  deafening  thun- 
der of  applause.  Such  a  scene  was  never  before  seen  in 
Buffalo,  nor  such  a  shout  of  exultation  heard  !  "  Fellow- 
citizens  !"  continued  the  old  war-worn  veteran  of  '76,  "  his 
life  is  in  our  power ;  he  has  thrown  himself  on  our  protec- 
tion— will  you  protect  him?"  We  will !  we  will !  Bring 
him  here  !  "Gentlemen  !  he  is  too  sick ;  too  much  fatigued 
and  worn-out,  to  come  here  to-night ;  but  to-morrow  night 
he  shall  address  you.  I  am  an  old  man  ;  but  at  the  hazard 
of  my  life,  will  I  protect  those  who  throw  themselves  upon 
my  hospitality.  If  any  mean  scoundrel,  for  the  sake  of  a 
reward  of  four  thousand  dollars  which  is  offered  for  him, 
should  undertake  to  kidnap  him,  they  must  first  walk  over 
my  dead  body  !  I  am  rather  old  to  fight ;  but  I  have  a 
good  bowie  knife,  (here  he  showed  one  of  very  respectable 
dimensions,  which  was  greeted  with  three  cheers.)    Now, 


f 
'<  ( 

>. 


Wk 


\  I 


i  II 


•!.! 


I;    , 


*'         "  . 


!i 


iii 


196 


CAUSES,    AC. 


said  the  old  veteran,  we  must  act  with  prudence.  The 
Amalekites  arc  among  us  ;  they  thirst  for  the  blood  of  this 
patriot.  I  want  six  strong,  brave  young  men,  as  good  sons 
as  the  Ahnighty  has  among  us,  to  watch  at  my  house  to- 
night, for  fear  ot  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  blood- 
Jio'unds  of  despotism  to  get  at  him.''  You  may  have  a  hui^ 
dred  !  was  echoed  through  tlic  house.  '-No!"  said  thr 
old  hero,  '-l  want  six  sturdy,  fear-nothing  boys.  Who'll 
i^o?"  I — I — 1 — exclaimed  a  thousand  voices.  A  dozen 
sprang  at  once  on  the  stage. 

It  is  a  well  known  lact,  that  a  young  man,  of  McKenziti's 
si'/o  and  appearance,  was  afterwards  assassinated,  undoi 
circumstances  which  gave  rise  to  the  opmion,  which  his 
brother,  then  secretary  to  Gen.  Scott,  still  entertains,  that 
the  Canadian  tories  stabbed  him  by  mistake  for  McKenzie. 


{*''  i; 


t 


'i 


CHAPTbiR  XXI. 


Navy  Island. 

Prior  let  McKenzle's   nppearance  in  Buffalo,  tiie  celebrated 
Thomas  Jotlerson  Sutherland,  a  lawyer  of  no  mean  abilities, 
who,   whatever   may  have  been  his  faults,   has  unquestionably 
suffered  much  in  the  cause  of  Canadian  freedom,  and  one  who, 
most  certainly,    felt  sincerely  interested   for  the  emancipation 
of  the  oppressed  and  trodden-dovvn  people  of  Canada,  had,  the 
author  believes,  from  pure  patriotic  motives,  been  actively  en- 
gaged  in   procuring   volunteers   and  other   means,  to  aid  the 
Canadians  in   achieving  their  independence.     Having  on  the 
13lh  obtained  some  volunteers,  a  quantity  of  arms  and  ammu- 
nition, he  removed  them  to  Black   Roclv,  where  they  were  sei- 
zed by  the  authorities,  and  the  enterprise  broken  up.     How- 
ever, Mr.  Sutherland  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  his  object. — 
On  the  14th  ho  conceived  the  bold  plan  of  organizing  the  Cu- 
(iiiin  exiles  and  other  volunteers,  as  a  military  force  on  Navy 
Island,  which,  by  the  Treaty  of  Ghent,  belongs  to  Upper  Can* 
ada.     This  Island  is  situated  in  the  rapids  of  the  Niagara  riv- 
or,  just  above   the  Falls,  and  is   not  more  than  a  mile  and  i\ 
half  distant  from  Chippewa,  on  the  Canada  shore.     It  is  a  mile 
and  a  half  long  and  a  mile  broad,  well   wooded  and  sheltered, 
and  about  twenty  feet  higher  than  the  main  shore  on  the  Can- 
ada side,  which,  with  the  dangerou     force  of  the  current,  ren- 
ders it  almost  impregnable  on  that  si  ie;  ond  a  more  advanta- 
geous point  for  a  hostile  demonstration  against  Canada  could 
not  have   been  fixed  upon.     On  the   15th  Dec.   twenty-eight 
brave  and  fine  looking  young  men,  with  R.  Van  Rensselaer 
and  Sutherland  at  their  head,  embarked  at  Schlosser  in  two  boats 
and  took  possession  of  the  Island  in  the  very  face  and  teeth  of 
a  British  battery  and  500  troops. 

The  selection  of  this  bold  position  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty, 
produced  strong  sensations  in  Canada  and  the  adjoining  por- 
tions of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  greatly   increased  the 
feeling  of  enthusiasm  prevalent  for  the  liberties  of  Canada. — 
17 


I    'im 


[f 


%•''% 


¥'A 


\   I 


'  I 


I 
<  I 


198 


NAVY    ISLAND. 


f» 


<•••' 


if 


(!       ! 


'"I* 


,H.;>: 


J    ^ 


Every  day  brouglit  largo  accessions  to  tlieir  nninborH,  Tlio 
tri-c()lorc(J,  twin  star  bintier  of  liberty  being  unfurled  and  [)lan» 
ted,  Van  Rensselaer,  wilb  the  title  of  G-sneral,  was  invested  wit!i 
the  supremo  coniniand,  and  Sutherland  next  to  hitn.  Thf; 
General  immediately  commenced  fortifying  the  Island.  His 
llrst  care  was  to  mount  an  old  scow  with  a  double  fortifu^d  Ioiil: 
nine  pounder,  to  seiV(j  as  a  clianixd  guard  battery  and  proveut 
surprise  while  the  works  were  progressing.  VoiuntetM's,  sup- 
plies of  clothing  and 'provisions,  inmost  bountiful  profusion, 
i'rom  all  parts  in  the  neighborhood,  jioured  in  upon  them. — 
Their  armament  soon  amounted  to  six  iield  pieces  and  several 
liundred  muskets,  besides  those  in  ust;  by  the  men.  A  provis- 
ional government  was  got  up,  of  which  AicKenzie  was  Chair- 
man, pro  tern.  From  this  u  proclamation  was  issued,  seltin<:; 
tbrth  the  object  of  the  IVitriot  army — [)romising  a  bouiity  oi' 
three  hundred  acres  of  wild  li\nd  to  all  volunteers  who  shouj,! 
serve  durino;  the  struf'tTfle,  and  a  reward  of  oC500  was  olFert'l 
for  the  apprehension  of  Sir  Francis  IJuad.  McKenzie  also  is- 
sued various  denomiuntions  of  money  in  the  form  of  Treasury 
notes,  payable  from  th(»  resources  of  the  new  government, 
whenever  it  shoidd  bo  estab  islied,  which  were  readily  taken 
in  payment  by  all  who  had  any  connection  with  the  voluntei^rs. 
This  demonstration  of  hostility,  after  all  internal  danger  v/itliin 
the  Province  had  ceased,  naturally  excited  the  alarm  of  the 
British  authorities  of  Uj)per  Canadn. 

Col.  McNab,  who  had  marched  against  Dr.  Duncombe  into 
the  London  District,  meeting  with  no  resistance  there,  asser:)- 
bled  a  body  of  nearly  2.000  Orange  men.  With  these  he  was 
ordered  by  the  Governor  to  march  to  Chippewa  to  watch  tlv; 
movements  on  Navy  Island.  On  arriving  on  the  Niagara 
iVontier,  he  assumed  the  command  of  all  the  British  forces  i;i 
that  quarter,  and  immediately  commenced  canonading  the  In- 
land. The  heroic  sons  of  freedom  were  not  slow  in  returnin,:,' 
tlie  compliment;  they  silenced  his  battery  and  dispersed  his  red 
coats  in  every  direction.  Sir  Francis  B.  [lead  issued  fresh 
orders  to  McNab,  urging  him  to  drive  the  Republican  brigands 
off  the  Island,  at  the  expense  of  the  last  drop  of  blood  in  Up- 
per Canada.  McNab  exerted  every  means,  by  land  and  wa- 
ter, to  dispossess  them.  Six  and  nines,  eighleens  and  twenty- 
four  pounders'  shells  and  rockets  were  incessantly  showered 
on  the  devoted  Islanders  without  efTect.  The  stubborn  Renub- 
licans  returned  shot  for  shot,  dismantling  the  Queen's  batte- 
ries as  often  as  they  were  prepared.     Several  attempts  wero 


iTibors,     The 

It3(i  und  [)liin» 

invested  witli 

)    liitn.     Tii(! 

Islaiiil.      His 

lortiliod  Ioiil'; 

^  and  proveijt 

iurJleors,  siip- 

"ul  proruaiou, 

ij)Oii    ihutii. — 

•js  'CiVi'\  scvcrnl 

\\.     A  provis« 

ie  was  Chair- 

ssuud,  seUi.'if,' 

\  \\  bounty  di' 

s   who  shoLii,! 

[)  was  oirerfrl 

Lcnzic  also  is- 

1  of  Treasury 

governtnont, 

readily  tiikcn 

10    V()luiltf.'i^f<. 

danger  witliin 
ahum  of  tlio 

uncombe  inio 
there,  asseni- 
1  these  lio  \va:s 
\  to  watch  tho 

the  Niasfara 
[lish  forces  in 
lading  liie  I-- 
I  in  returning' 
persed  liis  red 

issued  tVesh 
ican  bri/rands 
blood  in  Lip- 
land  and  wa- 
s  and  twenty- 
tly  showered 
bborn  Reoub- 
•  ueen's  batte- 
.tlempts  wero 


NAVY    ISLAND. 


lyn 


made  by  water,  on  strongly  fortified  flotillas,  to  approach  the 
Island;  but  the  vigilance  of  McKenzie  and  Van  Rensselaer,  and 
the  unerring  eye  of   AlcCiregor,  us   often  drove  them   back. 

I'brly  ill  \\\^  morning  of  the  "iUth  Dec.  McNub  was  informed 
by  citizens  from  Hutfalo,  that  the  Steam  Uoat  Caroline  would 
|)G  down  that  night — that  slie  had  taken  out  a  licence  as  a  fer- 
ry boat  for  passenger.^,  to  ply  between  Bullalo,  Schlosser  and 
Navy  Island.  McNab  fancied  ho  saw,  in  this  atlair,  a  fine 
oi^portunity  to  disjilay  his  gallantry  in  the  service  of  (iueeii 
Victoria,  lie,  in  conjunction  with  one  Drew,  a  retired  navy 
otlicer,  formed  a  plan  lo  devote  this  unarmed  and  unofiendini( 
bout  to  destruction. 

On  Friday  the  29th,  the  Caroline  left  Bulfalo  for  Navy  Is- 
land with  passengers,  and  continued  through  the  day  to  ply  as 
;i  lerry  boat  between  tin;  Island  and  the  shore,  on  the  private 
account  of  thu  owner.  In  the  evening  she  was  securely  moor- 
ed at  Fort  Schlosser,  a  landing  place  on  the  American  shore. 
A  small  tavern  was  the  only  accommodation  this  place  nirorded. 
The  tavern  being  very  full,  a  number  of  gentlemen  whom  the 
novelty  of  the  circumstance  had  brought  to  the  spot,  took  lodg- 
ings in  the  boat.  At  8  o'clock  an  unarmed  watch  was  placed 
on  the  deck,  there  being  only  one  pistol  aboard  and  no  powder. 
At  10  o'clock,  P.  M.  Drew  put  off  from  the  Canada  shore, 
with  forty-five  volunteers  in  five  boats.  At  midnight  they 
hotirded  iho  Caroline  and  instantly  commenced  a  furious  and 
deadly  attack  upon  the  unsuspecting  and  unarmed  inmates, 
who  of  course  were  easily  overpowered.  A  number  were  sl- 
verelv  wounded,  and  one  Mr.  Duriee  killed  as  he  was  leavincr 
the  boat.  Many,  from  the  suddenness  of  the  surprise,  jumped 
into  the  river.     The  war  crv  of  the  assailants  was  *'G-d  d — n 

THEM,   GIVE   NO   QUARTER  TO  THE    YaNKEE    DOGS FIRE,    FJRE, 

LET  NONE  ESCAPE."  The  boat  was  quickly  loosened  from  the 
wharf,  towed  into  the  stream  and  set  on  fire.  In  a  few  min- 
utes, the  strong  blaze  which  shot  from  the  burning  timbers, 
made  the  force  on  Navy  Island  and  the  shore,  a^-'are  of  the 
deed.  The  thrilling  cry  ran  round  that  there  were  living  souls 
aboard,  and  as  the  vessel,  wrapt  in  vivid  flame,  which  lighten- 
ed the  gloom  as  it  shone  brightly  on  the  water,  was  hurrying 
down  the  resistless  rapids  to  the  tremendous  cataract,  the  con- 
tinued thunder  of  whose  roaring,  more  awfully  distinct  in  tho 
midnight  stillness,  horrified  every  mind  with  the  idea  of  their 
inevitable  fiUe.     Numbers  caught  in  fancy,  the  wails  of  des  • 


1  ■;(       . 


.M  1 


I  9 


A  f 


■I  -■ 

1* 

t 

! 

; 

i   '■ 

! 

,■             j 

|;      -4 

.1 

'!i 

'i 

t  ■    ** ' 

■  '■ 

i»  ■ 

f  ;  ■ 

%\h 

^:S 

1' 

200 


NAVY    ISLAND. 


pairing,  living  wrctcljcs,  hopelessly  perishing  by  (Ik?  (lout)i(- 
horrors  of  a  late  wiiich  nothing  could  avert,  iii»(J  watched  with 
agonizing  attention  the  flaming  mass,  till  it  wus  hurriedly 
awepl  over  the  fulls  to  ho  crushed  into  cvcjrlnsting  ruin,  ir.  the 
unfathorned  tomb  of  darkness  below.  Several  Canadians  wlm 
left  the  Island  in  the  Caroline  that  evening,  to  return  the  next 
day,  liavo  not  since  been  seen  or  heard  of,  and  doubtlessly 
were  hid  on  board  and  perished  with  the  ill-fated  vessel. 

The  monsters  who  could  plarj,  and  the  savages  who  couM 
perpetrate  a  deed  so  dreadfulK"  horrible,  and  so  terribly  appal- 
in^,  ought,  in  all  ccniscience,  to  be  served  in  the  same  maimer. 
Whv  did  the  cowardly,  murderous  gang  pass  Navy  Island, 
where  the  l^atriois  haiJ  boldly  and  fea-rless!y  hoisted  their  (Ing, 
and  waited  for  them,  to  attack  innocent  and,  unarmed  mou  in 
an  unarmed  boat,  in  the  dead  of  night,  in  a  c<nintry  at  pence 
with  them,  and  butcher,  burn  and  drown  unoi-lbnding  citizens, 
in  cold  blood?  McNab  planned  it;  Drew  executed'  it;  Sir  Fran- 
cis B.  Head  sanctioned  it,  and  the  British  government  approved 
it,  and  rewarded  the  villains  1 !  !  Drew  is  promoted;  McNab 
J3  knighted  and  received  the  royal  tiianks,  and  now  the  l>ritieili 
govenmient  threaten  war  with  the  United  States  for  daring  to 
seek  redress  for  their  murdered  citizens  and  outrageously  in- 
suited  fiagi  If  this  atrociously  wicked  ali'air  is  permitted  to 
pass  unredressed,  citizenship  in  the  United  States  is  no  prolec 
tion  at  home  or  abroad.  In  the  British  dominions  it  is  a  signrJ 
for  insult,  or  a  passport  to  death. 

The  whole  of  this  circumstance  lent  a  character  of  aggrava- 
tion to  the  transaction,  that  deeply  exasperated  the  public  mind 
in  every  portion  of  the  Lfnited  States.  Hitherto  the  citizens  on 
the  borders  of  New  York  took  little  more  interest  in  the  Pat- 
riot cause,  than  merely  to  sympathise  with,  and  wi!^h  them 
success;  but  the  perpetration  of  this  execrable  deed,  aroused 
the  citizens  to  vengeance.  Hundreds  volunteered  to  aid  the 
Patriots,  who  never  dreamt  of  it  before;  and  had  it  not  been 
for  the  uncea?ing  perseverance  of  llie  United  States'  authori- 
ties to  maintain  their  neutral  relations  with  Great  Britain,  the 
despotic  government  of  Upper  Canada  would  have  been  over- 
thrown from  Navy  Island,  long  since. 

January  4lh,  1838,  formidable  preparations  were  being  made 
in  the  British  camp,  to  attack  and  carry  the  Island,  at  all  haz 
ards.     McNab  convened  a  council,  where  it  was  unanimously 
resolved,  by  the  officers,  to  put  every  living  creature  on  the 


iHit. 


NAVY    ISLAND. 


201 


Islfirul  (0  death,  whon  th(!y  took  it.  Tljo  wnlch  word  given, 
was,  "no  itrisonurs,"  'Mio  (jU!;rtors;''  |)ut  the  unslurn'ocring 
vigihim^o  of  t!i('  Navy  Kslundurs  frusli-Mfcd  their  designs  iind 
coinpeHod  the  British  to  seeic  shidfcr  Miid(;r  their  hiitlerioM. — 
ll  was  generally  sni)})osf;d,  on  tiio  Island,  that  one  of  their 
scows  Went  over  thn  falls.  Ahout  this  tinK;  McNah's  forc(? 
iiunihorcMi  full  .^),0()() — lhos(.'  on  the  Island  not  over  000  !  ! 

On  the  10th  Gov.  Marcy  and  Gen.  Snolt  arrived  Mt  lUjIFalo, 
and  on  tho  lltli  visitt.'d  Fort  Schlossurund  compelled  Gen.  Van 
I'ensselacr,  with  his  forces,  to  ovacnnto  tho  Island  on  tlx;  14tli, 
under  tho  penally,   il"  ihey  occupied  the    Island  any  longer,  of 
ijeip.<T  treated  as  out-l.iws. 

(len.  Van  Ivcnsschier  and  Ids  innnediato  compatriots,  after 
\\{\\''n)<^  maintained  tho  tri  colored  Hag,  with  it.^  twin  stars,  lloa- 
ang  in  the  brec,^//'  for  nearly  five  weeks,  in  stern  defianc(!  ol 
McNah — ids  .''),000  men  at  arms — his  numcM-ous  boats  and  bat  • 
loricis,  reluctantly  ovacUiU.(>d  tho  Island  at  tho  time  :;ppointo(l, 
leaving  nothing  but  an  old  hor.sc,  which  the  royalists  carried 
in  triumph  to  Sir  Francis  l'.  lloiul  at  Toronto. 

0.1  tho  very  day  that  Navy  Island  was  evacuated,  the  beau- 
lil'ul  village  of  St.  iMistache,  vil  inil(.\s  north  of  Montreal,  was 
;il{ficked  by  Sir  John  (../olhorne  with  HOO  cavalry,  a  largo  train 
.)•' [\rli'!lerv,  several  re!7;ini!'nts  of  repjulars  and  Canadian  loyal- 
v>t^",  and   a.  portable  {^allows  to  bans:  the  ieaderK  who  iniLdit  be 
i»k(!!i  alive  nnd  in  arms.     Sir  John's  aririy  was  2,500  strong. 
;)t.  l.'iUslaclia  was  singled,,  out  ft)r  vengeance,  because  its  citi- 
/.■;ns  had  |)rotecled  from  arrest,   some  of  the  honest  niembers' 
of  Assembly,  whom  the  govc^Vnment'  sought  to  destroy.      Th(.^ 
Canadians,   as  at  St.  Dennis,   were  some   300  persons,  badh/ 
armed  and  so  scarce  of  balls  that  son>e  of  them  firiid  off  mar- 
bles.    'I'bey  took  possession  of  several  buildings  and  barrica;;, 
I'ed  themselves.      Dr.   Clienier  and  sixty   njore,    threw   them- 
>elvcs  into  the  churcli,  a  very  massive  building  in  a  comman- 
'ling  situation,  and  llunked  by  two  stone  buildings.     The  enemy 
surrounded  the  village  and  cut  oIT  all  retreat.     The  Clergy 
(nan's  house  was  first  burnt,  having  been  fired  witii  congreve 
rockets,  and  the  people  who  retreated  to  the  cellars  of  the  con- 
vent were  either  burnt  or  suffocated.     The  soldiers  next  su)- 
rounded  the  church,  under  cover  of  the  smoke,  and  two  officers 
of  the  royalists  set  fire  to  it,   leaving  the  wounded  to  perish  in 
the  fiames.     Some  leaped  from  the  windows  and    were  met 
with  volleys  of  musketry.     Dr.  Chenier  and  a  few  brave  men, 

17* 


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A' 


I. 


^ 


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<i;il 


:;•!'■ 


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:  J: 


ill 


VI-  r 


it.  -  I ■ 


1  VW'K      ■. 


202 


SACKING    OF    ST.    EUSTACHE. 


jumped  through  a  window  into  the  grave  yard,  where  they 
fought  with  all  the  desperation  of  a  forlorn  hoj)e.  A  ball  soon 
brought  their  leader  to  the  ground;  but  he  rallied  his  sinking 
strength,  rose,  and  discharged  his  gun  at  the  enemy — twice 
again  he  was  broucrlu  to  the  ground,  and  twice  he  arose  to  the 
attack.  The  fourth  time  he  tell  to  rise  no  more!  Chenier's 
fall  was  the  signal  for  an  inciis^criminate  slaughter  of  the  re- 
mainder of  his  brave  bund.  "No  quarters,"  was  the  cry,  and 
with  few  exceptions,  all  were  miissucred.  Some  few  made  for 
the  ice,  in  hopes  of  gaining  the  opposite  woods.  One  by  one 
they  were  picked  oft*  by  the  marksmen  posted  at  certain  dis- 
tances; and  the  unfortunate  stragglers  fell  ard  perished  amidst 
the  bleak  wintry  snovvs  of  Canada. 

After  four  and  a  half  hours  figliting,  Sir  John  Cnlborne  ob- 
tained possession  of  the  village.  Many  lay  dead,  wounded  and 
weltering  in  their  gore.  The  stench  from  the  burning  bodies 
was  very  offensive.  Tlie  village  was  given  over  to  pillage— - 
property  plundered — women  violated,  and  seventy  of  the  best 
houses  in  town  and  country,  burnt  to  the  ground.  Old  men, 
women  and  children  leit  hcjusrless,  (Ivinar  to  the  woods  for 
sJielter,  Children  screaming,  women  weeping  in  the  agonies 
of  despair — old  men  praying  in  dreadful  frenzy  for  mercy — 
there  was  none  ibr  them — death  ended  their  troubles.  Dr. 
Chenier's  mutilated  body  was  exposed — his  clothing  stripped 
from  his  yet  warm  I'mbs — the  body  cut  into  four  quarters — his 
heart  torn  from  his  breast — his  eyes  gouged  from  their  sockets;, 
and  his  manly,  laceratcid  limbs  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  the  bar- 
barous soldiers.  His  property  was  entirely  destroyed:  even 
his  beautilul  and  accomplished  lady  had  to  tly  for  her  life. — 
Night  closed  upon  the  sacking  of  St.  Eustache,  and  the  whole 
country  around  seemt.nl  one  siieet  of  lurid  flame,  in  the  midst 
of  the  horrors  of  a  Canadian  winter.  Those  who  escaped  the 
bullet,  the  bayonet  atid  the  lire,  were  ^doomed  to  perish  in  the 
chilling  snow. 

Capt.  MarryaT.  '.vh:i  accompanied  Sir  John  Colborne,  was 
at  the  battle.  He  says  the  Engiish  soldiers,  and  their  odicers, 
were  so  exasperated  against  the  Canadians,  that  ''it  was  a  ser- 
vice of  danger  to  attem[)l  to  save  the  life  of  one  of  these  poor 
creatures.''  About  midnight  he  went  to  see  the  ciiiirch;  the 
floor  had  been  burnt  to  cinders,  and  "between  the  sleepers 
were  scattered  the  remains  of  human  beings,  injurf^d  in  various 
degrees:  some  with  merely  the  clothes  burnt  olf,   leaving  the 


SACKING  OP   SI*.   fitJSTACHE. 


203 


naked  body;  while  here  and  there  the  blackened  ribs  were  all 
that  the  fierce  flames  had  spared.  Not  only  inside  the  church, 
but  without  its  walls,  was  the  same  revolting  spectacle — and 
farther  off  were  bodies,  unscathed  by  fire,  but  frozen  hard  by 
the  severity  of  the  weather." 

On  the  15th  Dec.  Sir  John  Colborne,  with  his  destroying  ar- 
my, entered  St.  Benoit,  or  Grand  Brule,  without  resistance. — ' 
Tnreo  hundred  farmerj  met  him,  with  white  handkerchiefs  in 
their  hands,  as  a  token  of  peace.  The  inhuman  monster  ar- 
rested vast  numbers  and  sent  them  off  to  Montreal  jail.  Hnu- 
dreds  took  to  the  woods,  and  the  village  was  given  up  to  plun- 
der. On  returning  on  the  16th,  after  rifling  it  of  every  article 
they  could  carry  otF,  Sir  John  ordered  it  to  be  burnt,  leaving 
the  poor  habitan,  with  his  holp!ess  family,  to  slarve  with  hun- 
ger or  perish  with  cold.  All-powerful  Creator,  in  thine  own 
way  and  time,  visit  these  cruel  destroyers  of  tiie  human  race  ! 

Amury  Gorod,  one  of  the  leaders,  was  stopped  on  his  way 
to  the  United  States,  through  the  ofliciou^ness  of  one  John  Tay- 
lor, of  Long  Point.  When  escape  seemed  inevitable,  he  shor, 
himself.  His  body  was  brought  to  B(  noit,  beheaded;  his  head 
exposed  on  a  pole,  a  stake  driven  through  his  body,  and  his 
body  buried  at  the  cross  of  four  roads.  The  London  Tim.e.s 
denounced  these  infernal  acts. 

In  one  month  500  Canadian  houses  were  burnt,  and  property 
destroyed  to  the  value  of  upwards  of  one  million  of  dollars. 

Dec.  25th,  Gen.  Sutherland  was  detached  from  Navy  Island 
for  the  western  frontier,  and  about  the  9lh  Feb.  1838,  with 
;>00  volunteers,  took  possession  of  Bois  Blanc  Island  in  theriv. 
cr  Detroit,  and  ordered  the  schooner  Ann,  Capt.  Bordineau,  to 
ihe  north-western  end  of  the  Island  to  watch  the  motions  of 
the  enemy  on  the  Canada  side,  while  he  should  prepare  for  a 
demonstration  on  Maiden.  At  the  urgent  request  of  some  one 
on  board,  Capt.  B.  against  his  own  inclination,  weighed  an- 
chor in  order  to  pass  Maiden;  but  unfortunately,  the  wind 
blowing  hard,  she  grounded,  and  after  some  resistance,  was 
captured  by  the  militia  and  negroes. 

In  this  affair  the  Patriots  had  several  killed,  and  the  whole 
crew  of  twenty-six,  including  Cols.  Dodge,  Brophy,  Capt.  Da- 
vis and  Dr.  Theller,  were  sent  prisoners  to  the  London  jail, 
on  charge  of  high  treason.  This  vessel  was  a  valuable  prize 
tor  the  captors.  It  contained  three  cannon — one  nine  and  two 
six  pounders,    three   hundred  and  sixty  stand  of  small  arms, 


■[■¥ 


6k       :;)i 


r  I, 


V-  ^'W' 


■'<  it 


■'I 


TM 


„|,    (I 


.      !•: 


1 1   i ' 

ii  ■.(■ 
•I  ;' 


!     I 


1       i 


1^04 


SACKING   OP   ST.  fiUSTACHE. 


witli  bayonets  and  accoutrements  complete,  a  large  quantity  of 
ammunition,  and  six  hundred  and  thirty  dollars  in  specie,  be- 
sides clothing  and  other  materials.  Col.  Bradly,  a  galhint  Pat- 
riot ofiicer,  who  was  present,  in  his  report  says:  *'There  is 
no  doubt  that  if  Gen.  Sutherland  had  attempted  to  relieve  the 
schooner  Ann,  her  capture  would  have  been  prevented;  for  he 
had,  at  thai  time,  between  sixty  and  a  hundred  men  under  his 
immedinte  command,  who  expressed  their  willingness  to  make 
the  attempt  to  save  her  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  ene- 
my. Capt.  Sanford  earnestly  requested  Sutherland  to  order 
the  men  into  the  boats,  to  prevent  her  being  taken — ho  appear- 
ed to  compiy  with  the  request;  but  instead  of  performing  what 
every  man  there  supposed  was  his  intention,  as  soon  as  tlio 
men  were  on  board,  he  ordered  them  to  pull  for  the  American 
shore,  saying,  "tlie  enemy  are  attacking  us,  and  we  must  flee 
for  our  lives."'  lie  further  adds,  "if  Sut'nerland  had  eflected 
a  landing,  he  could  have  maintained  it;  ho  had  a  suiricient  nutn- 
her  of  men,  directly  under  his  conmiand,  to  have  made  good 
his  position,  without  the  aid  or  assistance  of  a  single  Canadian. 
However,  he  had  the  promise  of  assistances  from  three  or  lour 
hundred  Canadians;  but  in  consequence  of  his  want  of  military 
experience,  they  were  driven  to  the  necessity  of  uniting  witli 
the  royalists.'"  Thus  ended  Gen.  Sutherland's  military  career, 
although  not  his  misfortunes. 

On  tjie  evacuation  of  Navy  Island,  Jan.  the  14th,  the  Steam 
Boat  Barcelona  was  employed  to  carry  the  Patriot  ordnance 
and  stores  to  a  place  of  safe-keeping  in  the  vicinity  of  Bulialo. 
On  arriving  at  Black  Rock,  she  was  intercepted  and  blockaduJ 
by  two  armed  British  schooners,  who,  to  all  appearance,  in- 
tended to  make  her  a  prize.  Gen.  Scott,  of  the  American  ar- 
my, boincf  then  at  iJulralo  enforcinfir  the  neutral  law  of  181S, 
on  being  officially  apprised  of  the  intentioris  of  the  British 
schooners,  ordered  two  companies  of  the  Artillery  and  two  field 
pieces  to  the  spot,  and  accompanied  them  in  person,  with  the 
avowed  determination  to  protect  the  boat,  and  m.aintain  tbo 
honor  and  dignity  of  the  National  flag,  in  the  event  of  the  Bri- 
tish offering  the  boat  or  crew  the  least  violence  on  the  Ameri- 
can waters.  The  excitement  created  by  the  menacing  attitude 
of  the  British  navy,  towards  an  American  boat,. within  the  wa- 
ters of  the  United  States,  exceeded  any  thing  heretofore  wit- 
nessed on  the  frontier.  Young  men  and  old — all  turned  out, 
determined  to  cross  into  Canada,  should  a  gun  be  fired,  or  any 


',*  •■• 


SACKING    OP    ST.    EUSTACHE. 


205 


attempt  made  to  board  her.  The  British  were  rnpidiy  concen- 
irating  their  forces  on  the  Cunada  shore,  and  the  schoonersv 
,ipparently,  manoeuvring  to  attack  her  the  instant  she  weighed' 
iinchor.  Every  motion  of  the  British  indicated  an  immediate 
recourse  to  hostilities.  Gen.  Scott  took  jjis  position,  prepared 
for  the  emergency;  but  to  prevent  the  ^jnnecessary  eilusion  of 
blood,  he  despatched  one  of  his  aids  to  warn  the  British  com- 
mander that  any  violence  offered  to  thy  boat,  would  bo  consid- 
ered as  an  act  of  open  hostility  against  the  United  States,  and 
ihat,  in  such  a  case,  he  should  feel  himself  bound,  wilii  all  the 
means  at  his  disposal,  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  the  Common- 
v/eullh  and  the  lienor  of  the  National  flag,  adding  that  he,  the 
Biilish  commander,  must  consider  himself  responsible  for  the 
consequences.  During  this  interval,  the  saucy  B;;rcelona 
weighed  anchor,  steered  towards  the  British  schooners,  evi- 
ijentlv  daring  them  to  molest  her,  and  then  proceeded  on  her 
course.  The  British  commander  remembered  Lundy's  Lane;. 
knew  Gen.  Scott  to  be  a  man  of  his  word,  and,  like  an  entrap- 
ped v;olf,  the  English  commander  hung  his  head  and  sneaked 
oifto  his  lair.  Thus,  through  the  determined  firmriessof  Gen,. 
ISoott,  ended  an  alTair  which,  in  all  probability,  would  have 
otherwis3  proved  fatal  to  the  peace  of  both  nations. 


M-i 


•m 


irl 


'f-i 


;i 


J 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Northwestern  Frontier  Expedition. 


•  ■ih 


ii' 


'^1 


ii    %■        1 


On  the  18th  January-j  the  Navy  Island  boys  took  up  their 
line  of  march  for  the  northwestern  frontier,  under  the 
command  of  Gen.  D.  McLeod,  to  join  the  volunteers  in  that 
quarter.  Tlie  ostensible  object  of  this  movement  was  mere- 
ly to  draw  the  attention  ot  the  British  troops  towards  the 
western  district,  while  M'Kenzie  and  the  celebrated  Bill 
Johnston  were  to  make  a  demonstration  on  Kingston  from 
Hickory  Island  with  the  northeastern  volunteers. 

The  brave  Navy  Islanders  voluntarily  undertook  this 
march  ot  nearly  five  hundred  miles,  upon  their  own  re- 
sources, in  the  dead  of  winter,  sometimes  paddling  through 
mud  and  mire,  at  other  times  through  snow  ancle  deep: 
enduring  the  alternate  changes  of  weather,  sleet  and  snow, 
rain  and  frost,  with  as  much  cheerfulness  and  determina- 
tion of  purpose  as  \i  they  were  going  to  take  peaceable  pos- 
session of  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey. 

On  the  second  day  ot  their  march,  through  the  officious- 
ness  of  the  U.  S.  officers,  Col.  Worth,  with  a  detachment 
of  regular  troops,  seized,  at  Fredonia,  their  arms,  ordnance 
and  stores,  leaving  them  entirely  destitute.  This  was  e- 
iiough  to  dishearten  common  men  ;  but  not  these  gallant 
men,  instead  of  desponding  or  brooding  over  their  loss. 
pushed  forward,  determined  not  to  be  diverted  from  their 
object  by  every  trifling  accident. 

Their  conduct  during  the  march  was  exemplary,  and 
convinced  the  citizens  that  they  were  more  than  ordinary 
men.  VVherev^er  they  quartered  for  the  night,  the  inhabit- 
ants declared  that  they  never  saw  a  more  peaceable  or  bet- 
ter behaved  set  of  men.  The  citizens,  every  where,  on  the 
line  of  their  march  encouraged  them  ;  supplied  them  with 
food  and  lodginofs  ;  frequently  clothing  the  needful  and 
ministerinor  to  the  comfort  of  the  sick  and  worn  out.  The 
enthusiasm  of  the  people  for  Canadian  freedom  ran  high. 


■  h 


N.    W.    FRONTIER    EXPEDITION. 


207 


Had  the  patriots  been  permitted  to  proceed  unmolested  by 
iimrshals,  sheriils,  constables,  6cc.  they  would  have  entered 
Canada  lull  ten  thousand  strong,  armed  and  equiped.  It 
was  the  United  States  government,  and  not  British  troops, 
that  saved  Canada  in  1838. 

At  Conneaut,  in  consequence  of  the  overbearing  conduct 
of  Col.  J.  8.  Vreeland,  and  his  usurping  and  exercising  au- 
thority not  connected  with  his  duty  or  office,  it  was  deemed 
advisable,  by  the  officers  in  council,  cither  to  de^rrade  or 
dismiss  iiirn  altoa-ether ;  but  as  lie  was  in  possession  ot* 
mie  important  secrets  relative  to  the  expedition,  and  be- 
iiii«- also  of  an   implacable  and  vindictive  disposition,  and 
iiaving  it  in  his  power  to  do  much  harm,  should  either  of 
the  above  alternatives  be  adopted,  it  was  resolved  to  re- 
coinmend  Gen.  McLeod  to  appoint  him  Brio-ade  Inspector, 
US  the  duties  of  that  office  would  place  him  more  immedi- 
ately under  his  eye.  and  remove  hun  from  the  command  of 
,         ,  -his  reoinient.  who  literally  detested  him.     This  was  in  fact 
.•^,-i\  .i,,'."^.   de<irading  him  ;  yet  he  was  too  i<rnorant  to  know  tlie  dil- 
•rcnce,  and  accepted  the  office  cheerhilly.     But  learful  of 
after  consequences,  it  was  deemed  (idvisable  to  apj)ointhim 
master  ot  ordnance,  in  hopes  tfiat  this  additional  trust  would 
stimulate  hun  to  every  exertion  in  securmg  the  arms  and 
ioiwardinjj  them  to  Portland  City.    In  order  to  assist  Vree- 
land  in  collectiuii:  and  trimsportim?  the  arms  and  baofgage, 
n  Mr.  Henderson   was  appointed  his  assistant,  who  was 
forthwith  directed  to  return  to  Buffalo  with  despatches,  as 
well  as  to  collect  and  jbrward  the  arm.s  secreted  at  the  dif- 
ferent places  designated  in  his  instructions.     Yreeland,  at 
[the  same  time,  received  his  orders  to  forward  those  in  his 
Mssession    and  accomjjany  them  in  person  to  the  same 
1  f^lP'^^^^j  ^^^  there  remain  till  further  orders. 

3mplary,  ana|  ^^.      y^.^  i^^,-        appointed  Colonel,  vice  Vreeland 

luui  ^V^,;_;  .>  Iremoved,  was  ordered  to  march  with  his  regiment  to  San- 
iisky,  and  there  remain  until  the  General  should  join  him. 
Major  Wilcox,  in  consequence  of  his  faithful  and  unremit- 
ted exeitions  in  the  service  was  appointed  Colonel  in  the. 
nny,  and  retained  with  the  General  as  an  aid,  by  order  of 
R  commander-in-chief,  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer. 
The  officers  of  the  different  departments  being  instructed 


took  up  their 
r,  under  the 
nteers  in  that 
nt  was  mere- 
s  towards  the 
lebrated  Bill 
jiigston  from 
icrs. 

ndertook  this 
heir  own  re- 
lliui 

V  ancle  deep : 
DCt  and  snow, 
id  deter mina 
peaceable  pos- 

the  officious 

ri  detachment 

ms,  ordnance 

This  was  e- 

these  gallant 

/er  their  loss, 

id  from  their" 


.,  the  inhabit- 
;eable  or  bet- 
^here,  on  the 
}d  them  with 
needful  and! 
Irn  out.  The 
>m  ran  high.] 


0': 


}' 


I, ! 


:    » 

'■    "  V 


4::    I 


i»" 


Hi: 


-  i 


208 


N.    W.    FRONTIER    EXPEDITION. 


in  the  discharge  of  their  respective  duties,  and  every  thing 
appertaining  to  the  expedition  properly  arranged,  the  Gen- 
eral with  his  suite  proceeded  to  Sandusky,  to  mature  his  I 
plans  and  make  further  arrangements,  previous  to  his  re| 
turning  to  Canada. 

At  Conneaut  may  be  dated  the  commencement  of  Vrei; 
land's  public  treachery.  The  arms  entrusted  to  his  care.j 
at  this  place,  were  never  seen  afterwards.  At  Portland | 
City  ho  introduced  himself  as  commander-in-chief  of  thoi 
Patriot  service;  took  up  his  head-quarters  at  Mr.  Yictor'si 
inn;  ordered  the  landlord  to  supply  his  officers  with  the j 
best  cheer,  and  told  him  th^t  his  paymaster  would  foot  tli« 
bill. 

On  arriving  at  Sandusky,  the  commanding  General,  byi 
invitation,  made  his  head-quarters  at  a  private  gentleman's 
house,  where  he  and  his  staff  were  received  with  the  most 
marked  attention.  Hero  t!ie  plans  for  entcrino:  Canada  were! 
matured  ;  the  army  divided  into  two  divisions.  Col.  Sew- 
ard, with  the  right,  amounting  to  about  two  hundred  men, 
was  ordered  to  Port  Clinton;  there  equip  his  men;  cross 
on  the  ice  to  Point  an  Pclee,  and  make  a  diversion  into 
Canada,  while  the  General,  Adjutant  Gen.  Ashley,  and 
Col.  Wilcox,  should  proceed  to  attack  Maiden,  with  the 
forces  in  that  vicinity.  Vreeland  was  ordered  to  transport] 
the  arm  boxes  to  Port  Clinton,  immediately,  that  Col.  Sew 
ard  might  experience  no  delay  in  waiting  for  them.  ll(!i 
reported  that  he  had  none  to  forward.  A  council  of  offi- 
cers was  instantly  called,  and  Vreeland  summoned  to  ap- 
pear ;  and  on  being  asked  what  he  had  done  with  the  arms! 
delivered  to  his  care  at  Conneaut,  he  replied  that  he  was 
the  commander-in-chief ;  that  the  council  was  illegal — htid 
no  authority  to  call  him  to  account,  and  that  he  would  not 
abide  their  decision — that  the  arms  were  somewhere,  some] 
in  Pennsylvania,  some  in  Oliio,  and  some  in  Michigin. 
After  a  consultation  of  some  hours,  he  finally  acknowledg- 
ed having  done  wrong;  that  the  arms  and  ammunition] 
were  forwarded  to  Perryshurgh  and  Monroe,  and  ^hat  foi 
the  future  he  would  obey  the  orders  of  his  superior  officers 
The  General  proposed  dismissino:  him  instanter;  butthej 
council  thought  it  not  prudent ;  that  it  would  be  better  (o 


lift"     •' 


N.    W,    FRONTIER   EXPEDITION. 


209 


every  thing 
?,cl,  the  Gen- 
mature  his  I 
us  to  his  re- 
lent of  Vred-I 
to  his  care.i 
At  Portlaiidl 
chief  of  the 
Mr.  Yictor'sj 
;ers  with  ihej 
Mild  foot  the 


bear  with  him  until  they  got  possession  of  the  arms.  He 
was  then  ordered  to  repair  immedititely  to  Monroe;  collect 
ilie  stores,  and  there  await  until  the  General  arrived  with 
the  men.  An  express  was  immediately  sent  to  Col.  Seward, 
apprising  him  ot  Vreeland's  conduct;  enjoining  him  to 
remain  where  he  was,  until  Maj.  l.awton  arrived  from 
Pennsylvania,  with  the  arms  in  his  charge  ;  and  then  take 
np  his  line  of  march  for  Point  au  Pelee;  refresh  his  men, 
and  proceed  as  directed  by  former  instructions.  Mr.  James 
McKenzie,  an  officer  of  trust,  was  also  despatched  to  Mon- 
roe, to  watch  Vreeland's  motion. 

fcivery  thing  being  arranged  as  well  as  circumstances 
permitted,  the  General,  previous  to  his  departure,  sent  to 
the  landlord,  Mr.  Victor,  for  his  bill,  who  brought  in  an  ac- 
count of  $110,  which  the  General  supposed  meant  $1.16, 
ns  he  had  been  there  only  one  night.  Mr.  Victor  explained, 
that  Vroeland  directed  him  to  supply  the  men  as  above  sta- 
ted. All  the  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  proper  ofiicer,  to 
discharjie  this  unexpected  bill,  were  barely  .$65,  which 
was  paid  over  to  Mr.  Victor  by  Cols.  Wilcox  and  Sew- 
iird,  who  gave  their  acceptance  for  the  remainder.  Tins 
money  was' the  voluntary  contribution  of  the  citizmis  of 
Bloamingsville,  Huron,  Norwalk,  and  Maxwell,  who  gave 
besides  a'large  quantity  of  flour,  pork,  and  beef  for  tlie  use 
of  the  patriot  service.  Vreeland  was  well  aware,  when  lie 
ordered  this  unnecessary  expense  that  tfie  men  liad  plenty 
of  provisions,  and  no  person  was  better  acquainted  with  the 
low  state  of  the  Patriot  funds  than  he  was,  for  he  was  con- 
tinually drawing  upon  it,  under  the  pretence  of  hiring^ 
teams.'  Besides,  he  collected  large  sums  for  the  benefit  of 
the  service,  for  which  he  never  would  account.  But  all 
this  would  have  been  overlooked,  had  his  treachery  ended 

here. 

Havino;  settled  this  affair,  and  giving  the  necessary  direc- 
tions to  tlie  men,  the  General,  with  his  staff,  left  Sandusky 
late  in  the  eveninir  of  the  18th  Feb.,  and  proceeded  with 
all  possible  haste  to  overtake  Vreeland,  and  concentrate  the 
men  at  Monroe,  previous  to  a  descent  on  Maiden.  Vree- 
land was  overtaken  at  Toledo,  where  he  told  the  General 
that  he  had,  or  would  have,  nine  hundred  stand  of  arm^i 
18 


iH 


.M?r 


\  1     M 


i   I 


>■:        l.-t. 


t 


i^'ii  h 


n:i.i.:-\ 


210 


N.    W.    FRONTIER    EXPEDITION. 


six  six-pounders  and  two  fours,  at  Monroe,  ready  as  soon 
as  the  men  arrived.  Col.  Wilcox  asked  Inm  wiiether  he 
asserted  this  as  a  matter  of  fact,  lie  answered,  with  an 
oath,  that  lie  could  place  his  hand  on  the  whole  of  them  at 
any  moment. 

13r.  Dn ncombe,  havinir  i\«cently  escaped  from  Canada, 
met  the  General  here  for  tlie  first  time.  llavin<»'  commu- 
nicated the  obj(3Ct  of  the  expedition  to  the  Doctor,  and  otiier 
particulars,  tliey  left  early  in  the  morning  for  Monroe. 
On  arrivini^  at  that  pluce,  they  found  Vreeland  at  his  old 
tricks,  issuins^  orders  its  coiiujuuider-in-chief.  A  council 
was  iigixin  called  to  consult  what  means  should  be  ac'optd 
to  obtain  from  him  the  possession  of  the  patriot  arms  and 
equipaLce,  and  how  to  dispose  of  him  ot'ierwise.  Vreeland, 
alter  being  summ  )ned,  aj)pearod  in  the  council.  The  Gen- 
eral mildly  asked  him  what  oijject  ho  h;id  in  view  by  act- 
ing in  the  manner  ho  did.^  wiiat  lie  meant  by  issuing  orders 
in  direct  opposition  to  the  plans  matured  and  adopted.^ 
He  impudently  replied,  ''  Mi/  swret  felloii^  1  7ii'jan,  by 
G — d,  w/uit  I  haoe  ivrillcn  .'"  Tlie  General's  passion,  at 
this  time,  got  rather  the  upper  hand.  Col.  Wilcox  stept 
iorward  and  demanded  of  him  what  he  meant  by  such  in- 
solent language  to  their  commander,  placed  a  brace  of  pis- 
tols on  the  table,  told  Vreeland.  to  take  liis  choice  and  follow 
him.  Vreeland  apologised,  and  the  affair  was  hushed  up. 
From  this  time  the  oilicers  treated  him  with  the  utmost 
contempt.  Seeing  that  lie  had  gone  too  far.  and  had  no!U! 
to  back  him  up  in  his  pretensions,  lie  drew  up  a  document, 
resfretting  his  past  conduct,  and  promising  submission  for  | 
all  time  to  come.  On  offering  this  apology,  the  General! 
was  about  spurning  it  with  contempt ;  but  the  council  ad-| 
vised  otherwise.  The  General  thus  addressed  him,  viz: 
''  Vreeland,  1  accept  this,  by  the  advice  of  the  council,  as  a 
pledge  for  the  future.  You  acknowledire  your  past  conduct 
to  have  been  ungentlemanly  and  unofficerlike  ;  and  desire 
to  be  restored  to  confidence.  I  have  none  in  you  ;  butyonr 
brother  officers  are  willing  to  bear  with  you  a  little  longer, 
and  forg:et  the  past,  on  condition  that  you  deliver  the  arms 
and  ordnance  in  your  possession  to  Col.  Wilcox,  forthwith" 
,This  he  promised  to  do  on  the  receipt  of  a  geneial  order  to 


t" 


N.    W.    FROM'IEIl    EXPEDITION. 


211 


that  ofTcct.  Col.  Wilcox  tlieti  nsked  liiin  in  presence  of  the 
council  what  amount  of  arms  he  iiud  in  Monroe?  Ho  nn- 
i;\vered,  "  I  have  anus  for  nine  hnndred  men  ;  live  boxes  of 
lixed  anunnnition,  at  least  a  suMicient  (jnantity  to  supply 
nine  Inuidred  men  with  twenty  live  rounds  each,  or  more  ; 
live  kccrs  of  powder;  eight  pieces  of  artillery  completely 
mounted,  i.  e.  six  sixes,  and  two  four  pounders.  'Tis  men, 
be  said,  not  arms  that  are  wanting." 

The  General  directed  the  Adjutant  General  to  issue  an 
order  toCJol.  Wilcox  to  take  charge  of  the  arms  from  Vree- 
laiid  immediately.  An  order  was  accordingly  issued,  ot 
v/hich  the  followmg  is  a  true  copy  : 

Adjutant  GciicraVs  Office^  ) 
Feb.  22,  1838.  \ 

[General  Orders.] 
The  Brigade  Inspector,  J.  S.  Vreeland,  will  in  person 
point  out  where  the  arms,  amnnuiition,  ordnance  and  ord-. 
nance  stores  belonging  to  the  Patriot  ser^nce  are,  and  deliv- 
id  the  same  to  Col.  Calvin  Wilcox  forthwith. 

By  order  of  the  General  commanding, 

K0B1:U1T  W.  ASHLEY,  Adft  Gen. 

While  tills  was  preparing,  and  previous  to  the  breaking 
lip  of  ihe  Council,  Vreeland  disappeared,  and  contrary  to 
his  pledged  laith,  suddenly  removed  and  secretly  forwarded 
tlie  arms  to  Swan  Creek,  where  the  perse verino- and  in- 
domitable Col.  Wilcox,  after  much  trouble  overtook  him  ; 
presented  the  order,  and  demanded  a  delivery  of  the  pro- 
perty. He  promised  to  comply  and  to  deliver  them  in  the 
course  of  the  evening.  The  men  were  then  marched  to  Swan 
Creek  to  receive  their  arms,  and  Irom  thence  proceed  to  their 
orio^inal  destination.  About  8  o'clock,  P.  M.,  Vreeland, 
with  a  double  sleio'h,  containing  one  liundred  and  seventy 
five  stand  of  muskets,  drove  up  to  the  inn  where  Wilcox, 
with  a  small  party  of  men  were  on  the  look  out.  After 
taking  possession,  and  charging  the  teamster  to  wait,  he 
went  to  call  the  men  and  pay  for  their  supplies,  which  did 
not  exceed  five  minutes,  and  on  his  return,  team,  team- 
ster, arms  and  Vreeland  had  disappeared.  The  arms  were 
never  seen  afterwards.  After  two  hours  fruitless  search, 
by  Dr.  Duncombe,  Wilcox  and  others,  a  council  was  again 
called  to  resolve  what  measures  to  pursue.     Some  of  the 


■     V 


:l     1 


¥■ 

n  '■':'    . 

1* 

h  ^ 

i 


1 


-Sir-'"- 


ii, , 


N.    VV.   FKONTIKll    EXPKDITION. 


ofliccns  weielbr  arreslingVrt eland  and,  unities  Iio  deliver- 
ed \ip  the  anus,  or  pointed  where  they  were,  to  cxeciiie 
liini  on  the  sikU  as  a  traitor  ;  but  this  was  overruled,  ioi* 
certain  reasons. 

Tlic  attack  on  Maiden  was  necessarily  ^iven  up;  and 
Col.  Wilcox  desjiatched  a  second  tinic  in  jitirsuit  ot  Vrec- 
land.  lie  overtook  him,  a  little  lelore  daybreak,  wiiliin 
nine  miles  of  the  river  Ecorse  ;  bnt  he  jiosilively  denied 
any  knowledge  of  the  arms.  On  linding  that  Col.  Wilcox 
was  not  to  be  trilled  with  any  longer,  he  promised  the  Colo- 
nel if  he  should  iollow  liim  to  the  river  Ecorse,  to  deliver 
the  whole  up  without  any  further  trouble.  On  anivingiit 
this  place  nothing  could  be  ibund,  nor,  consequently,  was 
any  delivery  made.  Alter  a  long  and  tedious  night's  march 
tiie  General  and  men  arrived  between  eight  and  nine  in 
the  morning  of  the  24lh,  opposite  Fighting  Island,  but  no 
Vreeland  or  arms  could  be  found.  At  11  o'clock,  the  Cm 
eral  received  notice  that  two  comi)anics  of  the  United 
States  troops  were  on  their  march  from  Detroit,  to  disperse 
the  men  and  arrest  the  leaders.  Col.  "Wilcox  was  immedi- 
ately ordered  to  parade  the  men  on  the  ice.  All  tlie  arms 
in  their  possession  were  barely  six  rifles  and  one  musket, 
n  few  swords  and  some  pistols.  The  General  addressed 
them  in  a  very  animated  speech,  arid  at  the  conclusion, 
asked  them  whether  to  avoid  the  U.S.  troops  and  marshals 
they  would  march  with  him  and  occupy  Fighting  Island 
until  the  arms  arrived.  All  responded  in  the  affirmative- 
gave  three  cheers,  and  marched  of!  under  the  command  of 
CoL  W^ilcox.  Through  the  treachery  of  Vreeland  these 
brave  men  were  thus  unavoidably  placed  between  two 
fires,  having  their  enemy,  the  British  in  front,  without  the 
means  of  defending  themselves  in  the  event  of  an  attack : 
the  U.  S.  troops  in  their  rear,  to  starve  them  out  and  pre- 
vent any  succor  reaching  them.  Had  the  British  known 
their  destitute  condition,  and  attacked  them  in  the  night, 
their  case  would  have  been  desperate. 

After  they  had  marched  for  the  Island,  the  General  re 
mained  for  a  sort  time  to  consult  with  Dr.  Duncombe  on 
matters  relating  to  the  expedition,  and  if  possible  to  prevail 
with  Vreeland  to  give  up  the  arms,  or  inform  where  they 
.could  be  found— but  all  tone  effect.    Vreeland  was  then 


V'» 


N.    W.    FROXTIER    KXPKDITION. 


2n 


n 


ordcrnd  to  join  the  patriots  on  the  Island  forthwith  ;  bnt 
iriistnisLiiiir  the  consequence,  utid  to  jivoid  the  a[)()earance 
ofdisDiK'viiiir  orders,  [rj  solemnly  dechired  that  he  and  the 
;irins  would  boon  the  Island  in  the  course  of  the  niirjit;  at 
tliosaiiie  time  nriroutly  requested  the  General  to  ^n'ant  liirn 
^ix  nioii,  to  he  posted  iit  diliert'Ut  phices  as  sentinels,  to  pre- 
vent th(^  sleii^hs  loaded  with  the  arms  t'allinirinto  the  hands 
o(  the  I).  S.  troops  or  marslials,  as  well  (is  to  pilot  the  sloi^rhs 
secretly  to  the  Island.  To  leave  him  wUhout  excuse,  this 
request  was  granted  ,  the  men  were  j)osted  as  he  thought 
lit,  and  there  ho  lett  them,  during  a  long,  tedious,  cold 
ui^-ht. 

Dr.  Duucombe  having  lost  all  further  confidence  in  him, 
mounted  his  liorse  and  rode  to  Detroit,  to  collect  and  for- 
ward all  the  arms  he  could.  On  arriviuir  there  he  pub- 
lished the  followiuir  notice  :  '•  The  patriots,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Gen.  D.  xMcLeod,  hoisted  the  standard  o(  liberty  in 
Upper  Canada.  lie  diilivered  a  short  and  spirited  address 
to  the  men,  in  whicli,  after  briefly  relating  the  evils  of  an 
irresponsible  government,  the  oppression  of  the  people  in 
Upper  Canada,  concluded  by  adding  that  their  present  ob- 
ject was  undertaken  in  defence  of  the  inalienable  rights  of 
man,  and  to  extend  to  their  suffering  Canadian  brethren  the 
enjoyment  of  equal  rights,  and  of  civil  and  religious  libefty. 
Not  a  heart  was  cold  ;  not  an  eye  was  dry,  or  a  voice  silent ; 
but  long  and  repeated  cheerinij  evinced  the  zeal  and  deter- 
mination of  the  brave  men, who  tlien  stood  prepared  to  reco- 
ver their  lost  possession  in  (vaiiada,  emancipate  the  slaves  of 
British  tyranny — or  die.  Gen.  McLeod  evmced  the  true 
spirit  of  a  determined  commander;  bnt  not  so  Mr.  Vree- 
luiid.  His  conduct  must  be  held  by  every  honest  man  in 
utter  detestation^" 

Havingr  arranged  with  Dr.  Duncombe,  the  General,  with 
the  remainder  of  his  ofhcers,  left  for  the  Island,  to  direct 
the  future  operations  of  his  brave,  but  unarmed  compatriots. 

Vreelanfl,  now  finding  the  coast  clear,  dressed  himself,  it 
is  said,  in  the  unfortunate  Gon.  Sutherland's  regimentals, 
went  into  the  room  wtiere  the  United  States  marshals  were, 
introduced  himself  as  J.  S.  Vreeland,  Brigade  Inspector, 
Master  of  Ordnance,  and  Commander  ia-chief  of  the  Patri- 
18* 


Kf» 


I 


fir:  il 


!.iy- 


I  *". 


'     i'V^lt;^ 


'!  h 
'i  0 


!  ; 


214 


N.    W.    FIlONTIKil    EXPKDITION. 


ct  service,  and  if  tluiy  liiid  any  hiisiiicss  svitli  liiiii  lio  was 
thero  hinisolf.  Tlui  iiiiirslials,  ^iiu'ssiiio-  his  oljjoct,  looked 
iipoii  liiiH  witli  iiicHablo  coiitiMiipt,  tlinist  him  out  of  tho 
room  ;  hut  on  his  rcaj)pc!arimco,  they  wvrc  cotM'.olh'd  to 
niako  liim  a  prisourr.  At  the  s  unc  liujo  Ik;  dolivtrt'd  up  a 
sleiiih  load  ot"  arms  sont  {h)\vii  that  uiorniuL''  Irom  Detroit. 
lor  {hit  usool'ihc  Patriots,  which  ho  had  kept  concealed  till 
then. 

Oil  arriving  on  the  Island,  tlio  Concrars  first  care  was 
to  visit  the  pickets  and  outpostS;  to  sec  lor  him:  ell  that  they 
were  so  posted  as  to  prevent  siirj-rise.  On  reviewing-  theiii 
lie  declared  himself  satisfied  witli  the  skilUnl  manner  in 
which  (/'ol.  Wilcox  phmted  them,  and  returned  very  mucli 
fatiiiucd  to  Ills  camp,  tiic  snow  bciiiiJj  considerably  deep. 
Officers  l)(>iiijx  appointed  to  tidce  th(i  rounds  durinijf  the 
ni^^ht,  the  General  laid  down  about  I  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, requestinu*  (a)I.  \Vdcox  to  aw(d\(!  him  and  warn  Adi"{ 
Jones,  to  call  the  men  out  halt  an  hour  ht-fore  day  break. 
Duriiiuthe  niii^ht,  l.owever,  about  forly  muskets  arrived,  ol 
which  thirty- live  were  serviceable,  'i'liese  were  procured 
throui,di  the  exertions  of  Dr.  Duncombe  and  our  friends, 
and  v/cro  immediatcily  put  into  the  fiands  of  tlie  men.  ('apt. 
Dodd,  from  'I'oledo,  formerly  of  the  U.  S.  army,  was  put 
in  command  of  the  armed  men,  and  was  busily  employed 
with  his  company  during*  the  niiJ^ht  in  makimr  cartrid<.]:ob. 
Accordiuir  to  order,the  men  paraded  before  day-liaht.  Tiicy 
had  now  i'o:  ty-seven  stiind  of  arms,  and  appeared  in  <i;ood 
spirits.  After  drilliiiii^  tliem  a  few  moments,  and  jiiviiifi; 
the  orders  of  the  day,  they  were  ordered  to  break' fast  in 
haste,  (as  the  enemy  were  assemblinnf  on  the  Canadian 
shore,)  and  be  ready  in  case  of  alarm  to  assemble  where 
lh?y  then  stood.  At  day-break,  as  the  General  anticipated. 
the  British  appeared  on  the  ice,  and  fired  on  the  Island, 
wounding  one  man.  Capt.  Dodd  was  immediately  ordered 
to  march  a  few  yards  on  the  ice,  with  twelve  men,  three 
paces  apart,  take  deliberate  aim,  and  fire  amonsf  them. 
This  had  the  desired  effect — the  British  dispersed  in  rather 
a  hnrry  ;  the  men  gave  three  cheers,  and  after  remaining 
some  time  on  the  ice,  and  seeing  nothing  more  of  the  ene- 
my, they  were  ordered  to  finish  their  breakfast  with  their 


SIX 


^ji" 


N.  w.  FHONTirori  KXPKrjrno.v. 


21 


liin  ho  \\'i\'i 

i(;cr,  l(>(>l<(!d 
out  of  tlio 
()m;.<;ll('d  to 
ivd't'd  lip  a 
o!:i  Detroit. 
iKHiaUnl  till 

St  ciw'o.  was 

.'l!  tliuUhoy 

'wiiiii;  tlu'iii 

ni.'uinor  in 

very  muca 

rnMy  deep. 

(liirinij^  the 

II  llio  uiorn- 

1  wani  Adj't 

(3  day  break. 

fs  ari'lvcd,  of 

iTG  procnrnd 

1)11  r  iViends, 

3 1  noil.  ('apt. 

niy,  was  put 

ly  employed 

o-  ca.itrid<.i:ci-. 

■  li-lit.  They 

\Yvd  i  n  iifood 

and  jiiviiie; 

breakfast  in 

le  Canadian 

arable  wlicre 

I  anticipated. 

n  the  Island. 

itoly  ordered 

5  men,  three 

monof   them. 

sed  in  rather 

3r  remaining 

■e  of  theene- 

ist  with  their 


arms  in  hand,  so  as  to  l)o  ready  to  turn  out  in  case  of  an- 
nth.cr  alarm.  About  half  an  honr  aftrTwards,  iIk-  onomy 
opened  their  battcMies,  })oiirin:x  round  shot,  ^rnpo  jind  can- 
ister on  tlie  Island  i  fine  style.  'I'he  men  w  unarms 
were  ordert^l  to  form  line,  nn(ler(Jaj)t.  Dodd.  Those  with- 
out, to  keej)  in  the  rear,  and  not  expose  themseives  unne- 
cessarily. 

(jols.  Wilcox  and  Bacon  contrived,  tlicevcninL;  pievions, 
to  ^^.  t  a  three  pot;ijd«  "  on  the  Island,  whiidi  liny  iiioimted 
oil  rails,  and  ifave  in  eharire  of  Adjutant  Joins  ;  but  Imv- 
iiiir  neither  eartndijc.^  n'>r  balls,  they  broke  open  ;i  kn^t  of 
rifle  power,  and  loaded  her  in  the  follo\v'in:r  manner:  Col. 
|]ac()n  held  the  ninzzh!  npl)elween  his  Icu-s  ;  Jones  poured 
111  the  powder  with  his  hands,  and  rammed  \\]o.  wad  home 
with  a  [)ieco  of  broken  rail,  and  in  lien  ol  a  ball  tilled  her 
up  with  boiler  pniicliens  ;  Col.  McKinney  firing  her  olj". 
This  they  repeated  two  or  three  times. 

Tin;  r^ritish  forces  appearuiK  'd  this  time,  full  live 
liimdred  strong;  on  the  ice,  ("apt.  Dodd  was  directed  to  form 
his  men  at  the  cdi^'e  of  the  Island,  and  keep  them  as  little 
exposed  as  possibii^,  and  not  to  fire  until  the  enemy  arrived 
within  fair  reach.  They  soon  approached.  A  steady  lire 
was  kept  up  by  both  parties  lor  nearly  three  hours,  without 
much  (^(iect  on  either  side. 

At  one  tiirie,  while  the  General  was  in  consultation  with 
Wilcox,  close  to  the  only  tree  on  that  part  of  the  Island,  a 
sh  pound  shot  struck  a.  lariic  branch  of  the  tree,  about  nine 
inches  over  his  head.  The  branch,  in  fallinif,  wounded 
Wilcox  in  the  face.  On  the  first  alarm,  two  prisoners,  ta- 
ken thedfiy  previous,  nnide  their  escape,  and  iiiforined  the 
British  of  thf^  destitute  state  of  the  patriots.  On  r'^ceivins: 
this  information  they  crossed  the  ice  in  two  divisions — the 
foot  soldiers  at  the  lower,  and  tlie  drairoons  at  i!ie  upper 
end  of  the  Island.  The  patriots,  nevertheless,  maintained 
their  gronnd,  until  reduced  to  one  round  of  cartrid^^es 
apiece^and  oven  until  they  were  nearly  surrounded.  See- 
iriof  that  any  further  resistance  would  only  be  a  wanton 
and  unpardonable  waste  of  human  life,  and  satisfied  that 
all  was  done  that  hrave  men  could  do,  placed  in  similar  cir- 
cumstances, the  General   ordered  a  retreat,  and  directed 


IK" 


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If 


216 


N.    W.    FRONTIER    EXPEDITIO>f* 


Capt.  Dodd,  with  his  armed  men  to  cover  the  rear  of  the  iiri- 
armed,  and  by  no  means  to  allow  them  to  rnn  or  break 
the  line,wtiich  order  was  pnnctnallyoheyed.  Previous  tothis 
as  the  Gen.  was  orderinii*  the  men  without  arms  to  retreat  to 
the  American  shore,  a  i^rape  shot  carried  away  tiie  front  ot' 
his  cap,  severely  woundinira  man  on  his  lelt,  and  destroy- 
ed a  mu.^ket  in  the  hand  ot'anotlmr. 

The  General,  on  leaviuir  the  Island,  remarked  to  Col. 
Bacon,  that  the  three  pounder  would  tall  inio  the  enemy's 
hand.  This  <i:allantson  ot  JYlars,  picked  up  an  axe,  and  in 
the  face  of  a  heavy  tire,  returned  to  the  piece,  broke  its 
axis,  and  assisted  [jiem.  Lett  and  some  others  to  bring  ofi' 
one  ot"  the  wounded  men. 

Thus,  forty  seven  nrmed  Patriots  kept  at  bay  for 
lour  hours,  five  hundred  British  troops,  without  losing  a 
man,  and  with  only  tour  sliahtlv,  and  one  severely,  wound- 
ed.  The  loss  on  the  British  side  has  been  variously  stated. 
The  truth  has  never  been  ascertained.  But  it  is  the  opin- 
ion of  the  author,  that  their  loss  must  have  been  trifiiuir,  if 
any.  Thus  ended  the  affair  on  flighting  Island,  Sunday 
the  25ih  February,  1838. 

In  order  to  avoid  beinij  arrested,  by  the  nriarshals,  the  of- 
ficers were  ordered  to  disperse,  and  make  their  way  to  De- 
troit, where  the  General  should  join  them  in  the  course  of 
the  next  day,  if  possible.  On  opproachinfj  the  American 
shore,  he  was  met  by  Mr.  Phillips  from  Brest,  and  Major 
Heath  of  Detroit,  who  informed  him  that  Gen.  Scott,  of  the 
U.S.  Army,  and  the  marshals,  were  on  the  alert  to  arrest 
him,  and  advised  him  to  make  for  Brest  with  all  possible 
speed.  Maj.  Heath  havin«-  exchanged  clothes  with  him, 
Mr.  Phillips,  with  a  small  Fren^-h  pony  and  jumper,  drove 
him  off  at  the  rate  of  ten  knots  an  hour,  and  after  experi- 
encinsf  a  few  somersets  they  arrived  at  Monroe  the  same 
evening.  Here  Gen.  Scott,  with  the  marslials  from  Detroit 
unexpectedly  overtook  him.  It  was  now  hide  and  seek  in 
right  earnesi.  The  Patriot  Gen.  evadins:,  and  the  American 
General  pursuinq^.  The  marshals  on  the  scent  searchinjr 
every  where.  The  ladies,  the  patriot  sold'er's  true  friend, 
God  bless  them,  pointed  the  marshals  to  every  trail  but  the 
right  one. 


ifit^'is 


GEN.    SCOTt's    pursuit. 


217 


Lt\te  in  the  evening,  Iiowevor,  they  ferreted  the  old  fox 
10  the  real  burrow.  Mrs.  Spauldnio:,  the  landhidy,  seeing 
no  possible  chance  for  escape,  with'  that  presence  of  mind 
so  characteristic  of  the  sex,  dressed  the  old  General  in  la- 
dy's apparel— directed  him  to  a  room,  np  stairs— gave  him 
;i  needle  and  thread  with  a  piece  of  cotton  cloth,  directincr 
him  to  keep  his  back  to  the  door  ot  llie  chamber,  wiih  his 
tace  towards  the  window,  and  in  case  he  heard  any  person 
coming  np  stairs,  to  keep  sewing  like  a  ludy  at  work,  and 
on  no  account  to  turn  his  head  round.  This  ot  course  was 
btrictly  obeyed,  for  the 'General  knew  the  virtue  ot  obedi- 
ence m  such  cases,  to  be  better  than  hosts  of  sacritice.  In. 
cifew  moments  one  of  the  marshals  popped  his  head  in  and 
perceiving  nothing  but  the  back  part  ot  a  supposed  lovely 
lenuile,  l)usy  with  her  needle,  begged  pardon  and  retired. — 
Mrs.  Span  [ding,  all  the  time,  watching  the  marshal's  mo-- 
tiops,  came  up  as  soon  as  he  disappeared,  told  the  General 
that  she  was  satisfied  he  would  not  be  taken  this  time,— and 
as  it  was  late,  told  Inm  he  had  better  go  to  bed,  and  keep 
her  cap  on  Ins  head,  and  place  his  lady  dress  on  the  chair 
I  beside  the  bed — enjoining  him  at  the  same  time  to  sleep 
with  his  face  towards  the  wall,  and  by  no  means  to  turn 
round,  adding  that  her  husband,  to  carry  the  farce  through, 
would  sleep  with  him, — "so,"  said  she,  '-a  good  night's  rest, 
to  you  and  your  betrothed." 

About  11  o'clock,  Mr.  Spaulding  came  to  bed,  leaving  a 
fehted  candle  on  the  table.     In  half  an  hour  afterwards, 
two  of  the  marshals  bolted  in  snns  ceremonie.     Mr.  Spaul- 
ding pretending  surprise  at  their  intrusion,  sternly  demand- 
ed what  they  meant  by  obtruding  into  his  wife's  bed  room 
1  at  that  late  hour.     The  marshals  seeing  her  clothes  on  the 
chair,  and  a  woman's  head,  as  they  really  believed,  at  the 
l)ack  part  of  tfie  bed,  apologised  and  withdrew.     Early  in. 
[the  morning  Mr.  Spaulding  finding  the  marshals  in  the 
barroom,   where  they  had  remained  all  niglit,  went  to  the 
room  where  his  wife  slept,  gave  her  directions  how  to  pilot 
the  General  to  the  cellar,  while  he  should  keep  them  in  play 
I  at  the  bar.     After  conducting  him  as  directed,  she  pointed 
him  to  a  back  door,  which  led  into  a  yard,  enjoining  him  to 
make  his  way  to  a  certain  place  in  the  back  part  of  the  towDj 


.;|:.   .1:' 


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218 


GEN.    SCOTT's    pursuit. 


and  there  remain,  until  she  sent  a  man  to  conduct  hini 
to  a  place  of  safety.  In  an  hour  afterwards,  Mr.  Mawlei 
a  patriot  of  tlie  purest  water,  escorted  him  to  i\lr.  Hale'sJ 
another  of  the  blood  of  7()  where  ho  was  kindly  received 
and  hospitably  entertained,  by  his  amiable  hidy,  but  th( 
search  was  so  strict  and  extensive,  tliat  Mrs.  Hale,  like  Mrs. 
Spauldin^f,  deemed  it  absolutely  necessary  to  disguise  thi 
General  a  second  time,  nor  was  she  longer  devising  the] 
plan  of  escape,  or  procuring  the  means  of  disguise. 

With  the  assistance  of  Deputy  kSherilT  Wood,  a  suito! 
ragged  clotlies,  nnd  an  old  lurless  cap  was  obtained,  will 
which  the  General  dressed  him?.elf.  Deinu"  naturally  oia| 
coarse  rough  countenance,  his  ioii£  en  semb/e,  wa^ 
in  the  last  decree  outre.  On  coming  out  of  his  dressi 
ing  room  and  beholding  himself  in  a  hirge  mirror,  Ik 
instinctively  flew  trom  his  own  reflection  as  from 
hideous  spectre.  Mrs.  Hale,  Mr.  Ilawley,  and  Sheriff  Wooi 
simultaneous  burst  into  a  loud  laugh.  The  scenj  was  ri| 
diculous.  At  the  same  time  Mrs.  Hale  ordered  a  Mr. 
to  dress  in  the  General's  clothes,  harness  her  best  horse  t( 
the  cutter,  drive  through  the  town  on  the  old  road  leadin! 
to  Toledo,  in  somewhat  of  a  hurry,  while  Messrs.  Wood] 
and  Hawley  and  the  General  would  take  up  their  line  oj 
march  to  a  tavern  on  the  turnpike,  through  the  woods,  will 
an  old  Kosinante  and  a  crazy  lumber  sled,  where  Mr.  Halj 
would  meet  them  and  give  further  directions.  Every  thiiij 
being  properly  arranged,  the  cutter  was  drove  off,  a  frioiK 
was  immediately  despatched  to  apprise  the  marshals  thfj 
he  had  gone  for  a  certainty  to  Toledo  by  the  old  road  il 
a  fancy  cutter  drawn  by  a  first  rate  horse  ;  that  he  was  snrj 
it  was  him  from  his  Canadian  cap  and  red  comforter.  Th 
marshals  pursued  and  after  a  chase  of  ei^ht  miles  overtoo] 
the  man  in  the  cutter,  and  tapping  him  on  the  shoulder,  e: 
claimed,  "  General,  draw  in  your  reins,  we  have  some  bij 
siness  with  you."  The  supposed  G<mcral  turned  roum 
looked  them  full  in  the  face,  and  demanded  by  what  aij 
thority  they  stopped  him  on  the  highway.  The  disappoinj 
ed  marshals  looked  rather  sheepishly  at  each  other.  Oi 
of  them  remarking,  "  the  devil  is  in  the  old  fellow,  he  IkJ 
finally  hoaxed  us  !     He  is  like  a  jack-o'-lantern,  the  nean 


GEN.    SCOTT's    RLTIIEAT. 


219 


conduct  hin-JHfe  think  we  are  to  him  the  farther  we  are  from  him."  'Mr. 
Mr.  IlawleyHstewart,' said  he,  7011  return  to  Monroe  by  the  turnpike, 
Mr.  Hale'sMor  he  must  certainly  have  taken  tiiat  route  if  ho  has  left 
dly  receivetlBihe  town,  while  we  return  the  way  we  came."  llu  then 
lady,  but  tliuHapologised  to  tiie  man  m  the  cuiter,  who^  havin^r  accom- 
ale,  like  Mrsmiished  his  orders,  returned  with  them, 
disguise  theH'  During  this  time,  the  General  witli  his  forlorn  ho[)e,  was 
devising  thefflpeiiceably  wending  iiis  way  in  Ins  r;iLi;ged  a[)i)urel  and  cra- 
iguise.  Hzpled  through  the  woods.     On  gaiiiing  the  turnpike,  Mr. 

lod,  a  suitomjdie  rode  up  and  informed  tliem  iiiut  Auushal  kSiuwart  on 
ibtained,  wilMins  return  Iroin  tlie  boundary  line  between  Michi<'an  and 
naturally  ol'tiliji;io  had  just  passed  him  ;  that  the  coast  wis  now  clear, 
scmble,  waMnid  to  drive  on  witiiout  stopping,  flavin:,^  met  no  other 
of  his  dressmjiKirunce,  they  arrived  at  Toledo,  eativ  in  the  eveniiKr. — 
re  mirror,  mllere  they  unexpectedly  met  Dr.  Dnncomlie,  who  never 
n  as  from  ijdreamed  of  the  Geneial  beiiiir  so  close  to  his  heels.  Onen- 
iSheritf  \Voo(M|eni]g  the  room  where  the  Doctor  had  comfortably  seated 
!  sceriLj  was  riMiiiuself,  the  General,  .v(///5  cerey/io/^/e  n))proaclied  the  lire 

ed  a  Mr.  ■place.  The  Doctor  on  perceiving  so  ragg-.-d  and  apparently 

r  best  horse  tiBjo miserable  and    wretched  a  being   making  towards  him, 

1  road  leadinmrose  in  amazement  and  addressed  him  in  his  usually  mild 

Messrs.  Woodfcnner,  "my  unfortunate  friend  this  room  is  occujiie'd,  you 

p  their  line  ofcn  find  the  kitchen  a  more  suitable  place."     The  General 

16  woods,  witMtood  still,  as  if  meditating,  at  last  uncov^ering  his  head  and 

liere  Mr.  HalBace,  he  exclaimed,  "what.  Doctor,  is  the  Patriot   General 

Every  thiiiMnilJy  so  transformed,  that  you  can  neither  recognise  his 

ire  off,  a  irioi»oice  or  features  'V     The  Doctor  laughed  heartily,  shook 

marshals  thiMaiids  and  congratulated  him  on  his  escape. 

le   old  road  ifl  Late  in  the  eveninir  the  General  beinsf  informed  that  the 

lat  he  was  snwatriois  under  Col.  Seward,  had  crossed  over  into  (.Canada, 

mforter.    '^l^ftti  express  was  immediately  despatched  to  Col.  Wilcox,  at 

miles  overtooB)gt|.QJj^  ^q  collect  and  march  the  men  with  the  least  possi- 

ie  shoulder,  eMg  delay  to  Point  an  Pelee;  another  was  sent  to  Col.  Sew- 

have  some  bifc^  ^vitd  orders  to  fortify  himself,  and  remain  on  the  island 

I  turned  roiumijtii  the   General  and  the  men  from  Detroit  should  join 

d  by  what  ^mm.    This  latter  expre^ss  was  never  delivered.     Early  next 

The  disappoinMiiorning  another  express  arrived  from  Monroe,  announcing 

ch  other.    Omimt  General  Scott  was  hot  on  the  pursuit,  who  declared  in 

I  fellow,  he  hfcnroe,  that  he  would  Iiave  the  Patriot  General  if  he  fol- 

tern,  the  neaim^ed  him  to  the  torrid  zone,— it  was  a  threat  only.    Af- 


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220 


BATTLE    OP    POINT    AU    PELEE. 


ter  a  few  minutes  consultation,  the  Doctor  took  his  route 
for  Columbus,  and  tlie  General  to  secrete  at  Maumee  until  J 
Scott  should  pasSjbut  the  pursuit  was  so  close  and  the  search  j 
so  strict,  that  it   was  considered  advisable  to  proceed  to 
Lower  Sandusky.     On  arriving  there,  a  company  of  ninety 
men  voiuiiteerud  to  march  with  him,  ;md  his  aids,  who  | 
joined  him  at  Toledo,  to  reinCorce  the   Patriots  at  Point 
au  Pelee,  Col.  i^acon  was  sent  in  advancti  witli  some  iiidi- 
spensibles,  to  Port  Clinton.     As  the  men  were  gettin<^  ready 
an  express  arrived  Irom  Col.  Bradley,  announcing  the  (le-.| 
ieat  of  the  Patriots  in  the  following  words  : 

March  4,  1S38. 

Gen.  I).  McT.KOD,  &,c.  <fcc. 

I  arrived  on  the  island  last  Thursday.     On  Friday  j 
evening,  the  officers  unanimously  elected  me  their  Colonel,! 
Col.  Seward  approving  of  their  choice.     Early  on  SuturdavJ 
morning,  the  8d  insl.    the  enemy  were  seen  at  a  distance, 
approachini^the  island  in  double  sleio:lis,ihe  ground  welhcuj 
occupied  I  considered  untennble,  and  retreated  five  miles,; 
formed  the  men  in  line  of  battle  on  the  ice,  and  awaited  the| 
approach  of  the    British,  who  were  not    long  in    couiitiiii 
up.     A  bloody  contest  ensued,  the  Patriots  numbering  o;i-j 
Iv  152,  the  British  full  500.     Alter  fifteen   minutes   hard! 
fighting,  the  British  lines  began  to  waver  and  were  on  tha 
point  of  retreating,  such  was  the  havoc  our  rifles  niado  ir^ 
their  ranks,    when  Col.    Maitland  with   600  regulars  aiK 
two  field  pieces,    was   discovered    pressing   on  our   riijht 
flank,  to  cut  off  our  retreat.     This  turned  the  fortune  of  tlioj 
day.     We  were  obliired  to  retreat  to  the  Americnn  sliore.- 
The  men  behaved  like  veterans  ; — the  officers  acted  nobly 
there  was  not  a  faint  henrt  among  them.     The  Patriot  lo?g 
was  7  killed,  10  wounded,  and  3  taken  prisoners  ;  the  Britj 
ish  60  killed  and  double  that   number  wounded.     I  await 
your  further  orders.     The  marshals  are  on  my  trail.  I  an 
secreted  at . 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  &c., 

F.  BRADLEY,  Col.  corn. 


Nothi 
prevei 
howev 
ijcious 
achas 
<iay  pi 
as  a  r 
gave 


CHAPTER  XXII. 


Gen.  Scott's  pursuit — continued. 


nmbenii^-  oii-l 


This  ended  the  patriot  war  on  tl'e  western  frontier  for  that 
season. 

Early  next  morning,  the  landlord  informed  Gen.  M'Leod 
that  his  friend  and  pursuivant,  Gen.  Scott  had  arrived,  and 
that  the  Marshals  were  dih'gently  searching  for  liim.  A  dou- 
ble wagon  and  a  span  of  first  rate  horses  were  instantly  provi- 
ded by  some  kind  friend,  wlio  directed  the  teamster  to  drive 
with  all  speed  to  Mr.  Drake^s  Inn,  Portland  city.  The  day 
proved  very  rainy  and  the  roads  extremely  bad.  Notwithstand- 
ing, Gen.  Scott  pursued  Jehu  like,  keeping  within  siglu  of  the 
fagitive  Gencu'al  all  the  way,  both  driving  furiously.  However, 
!ho  Patriot  had  no  idea  that  Scott  was  so  very  close  on  his  heels. 
He  had  scarcely  seated  himself  in  Mr.  Drake's  Inn  wUon  the 
kiiidlord  met  Gen.  Scott  in  the  hal!,  who  very  prudently  eonuet- 
ed  him  to  another  department,  and  iiiimediately  apprised  the 
other  General  of  his  danger.  At  this  time  the  rain  descended 
in  torrents,  yet  it  was  not  a  time  for  hesitation.  Without  great 
coat,  and  cap  in  hand,  he  bolted  to  Mr.  NeaPs,  a  prjvate  house, 
at  some  distance,  where  he  found  Col.  P»radleyand  several  oth- 
er friends,  comfortably  quartered.  Here  he  was  kindly  re- 
ceived and  hospitably  entertained.  Late  in  the  evening,  Gen. 
8cott  was  informed  by  some  busy  body,  that  Gen.  M'Leodand 
some  other  Patriot  officers  were  secreted  at  Mr.  Neal's  house. 
Nothing  but  the  heavy  rain  and  extreme  darkness  of  the  night, 
l)revented  their  being  surprised  and  arrested.  Gen.  Scott, 
however,  supposed  that  the  Patriot  General,  would  from  a  con- 
sciousness of  the  security  of  his  concealment,  particulnrly  after 
a  chase  so  rough  and  fatiguing  as  that  which  he  underwent  the 
(lay  previous,  take  a  long  nap  in  ihe  morning  to  refresh,  and 
M  a  matter  of  course  would  be  easily  surprised,  consequently 
gave  himself  no  farther  trouble  that  night.     Gen.  M'Leod  was 

19 


>a 


1    f' 


; ,     pi"' 


-i 


i  i 


w 


-1,  , 


■  I'  •( 


;'.  I 


<.jj 


lf|! 

!  f 


K  ft  4 


1  T 


Ml 


222 


GEN.   SCOTT's    pursuit. 


too  old  a  soldier  to  be  caught  napping  in  the  vicinity  of  a  pur- 
suivant so  vigilant  as  Gen.  Scott.  Before  retiring  to  rest  and  a 
little  after  the  rain  slackened,  Dr.  Evans  despatched  two  trusty 
men  to  Mr.  Drake's  to  watch  Gen.  Scott's  motions,  until  morn- 
ing. Faithful  to  their  trust  tiiey  sat  up  all  night.  At  break 
of  day  Gun.  Scott  and  suite  got  up  and  while  preparing  to  take 
the  advantage  of  that  early  hour  ,  one  of  Dr.  Evan's  trusty 
sentinels  gave  him  the  alarm,  and  ho  immediately  apprised  Gen. 
M'Leod.  So  clos(j  was  the  pursuit  to  the  notice,  tlwtt  the  Pat- 
riot General  and  his  officers  had  hardly  more  than  escaped  by 
the  back  door  wlienGen.  S.  rapped  at  the  I'ront  door  for  admit- 
tanco.  iMrs.  Neal  being  somev/hat  alarmed  for  the  safety  of 
the  Patriots,  was  in  no  particular  hurry  to  grant  admittance. — 
However,  the  door  was  opened,  tlie  General  politely  enquired 
whether  Mr.  Neal  was  within.  She  replied,  that  he  was  not, 
but  would  shortly  return.  He  then  asked  if  she  knew  hini. — 
Her  answer  was,  that  she  supposed  it  was  Gen  Scott. 

"Well,  then,"  said  he' '*i  presume  you  are  aware  of  the  bu- 
siness thai  calls  me  to  your  house,  at  this  early  hour." 

*'I  cannot sav  that  I  am,  Genera!,  but  I  rni'^hl  perhaus  2;uess 

*'Will  you  then  permit  me  to  enter?" 

*'By  all  means,  General,"  said  she,  "but  you  are  rather  too 
late,  the  eagle  eyed  birds  of  liberty  have  flovvn." 
*'Ah!"  said  the  General,   *'can  it  be  possible?" 


u 


Quite  so,"  said  Mrs.  Neal,  *'they  are    out  of  the  reach  of 
the  lion's  paw  this  time." 

*'That  may  be,'  said  the  General,  "but  perhaps  not  of  the 
eagle's  talons." 

v_.' 

"I  assure  you,  (general,  replied  Mrs.  Neal,  "that  I  believe 
tiiey  are  safely  secured  under  the  protection  of  its  wings." 

"Well,  well,  Mrs  Neal,  I  see  the  ladies,  one  and  all,  are 
the  Patriot's  friends." 

"Indeed,  sir,  we  are  mostly  all  of  us  on  this  frontier  the  ies- 
ccndents  of  the  Patriots  of  76,  and  would  willingly  shield  the 
Patriots  1838  from  the  cold  chilling  blasts  of  European  despot- 
ism." 

**Well,  Mrs.  Neal,  I  must  be  satisfied  that  they  are  not  in 
the  house  be  to  re  I  leave  will  you  ,;c"mit  these  gentlemen  to 
search  the  rooms?" 

are  at  liberty  to  do  so,^'  said  she. 
learching  the   different  apartments,  beds,  cupboards, 


44' 


CEN.    SCOTT's    PUKSUIT. 


OOV> 


nity  of  a  pur- 
5  to  rest  and  a 
eel  two  trusty 
s,  until  rnorn- 
It.  At  break 
laring  to  take 
.^^jvarrs  trusty 
apprised  Gun. 
,  that  tiio  Pat- 
n  escaped  by 
oor  for  adtnit- 
the  safety  of 
admitlance. — 
itely  enquired 
it  he  was  not, 
;  know  him. — 

5C0tt. 

I'are  of  the  bil- 
lion r.'' 
perhaps  ^UQ<fi 


are  rather  too 


f  tlie  reach  of 

aps  not  of  the 

♦that  I  believe 
Is  winj^s." 
and    all,  are 

ontier  the  ies- 
TJy  shield  the 
ropean  despot- 

ey  are    not  in 
gentlemen  to 


.!?,  cupboards, 


collars.  chinmeys,barn.'',  stables,  and  yardy,  they  reported  "not 
found." 

"I'his  is  too  bad,"  said  the  General,  "it  is  the  third  time  he 
has  given  me  the  slip;  but  I'll  have  him  if  1  have  to  de|-uti.stj 
c'ery  man  on  the  frontier  of  Ohio." 

''it  is  all  naodless,"  said  one  of  his  suite,  "while  the  Patri- 
ot General  and  his  rescuants  have  the  ladies  on   their  side,  all 
the  Marshals  in  Ohio  can't  take  him    until  the  ladie.s    nre  bro't 
over.     In  Monroe  they  disguised  him  for    a   night  in   a  ladies 
dress,   in  the  morning  they  metamorphosed  him  into  a    negro, 
III  noon   they  dressed  him  a?  a  sturdy  b(,'ggar.  and  shijined  him 
oir under  our  eyes,   in  an  old  crazy  lumber,  sled,   and  he  esca- 
ped the  vigilance  of  all  the  Marshals.     At  Toledo,  Cupl.  Allen, 
editor  of  a    public  j(3urnal,    lav/yers,  doctors,  and  even  rnngis- 
'raU'S,  furnished  him  with  means  of  escape.     And  iiere  at  Port- 
hm\  city,  Mrs.  Neal  has  been  speaking  to  us  ngainst  time,  to 
"ive  him  another  chance.     I  thirk  it  will  prove    a  wild  goose 
chase,  General,  to  search  l^or  him  any  longer  in  this  quarter, 
i'or  every  man,    woman  and  child,  is  a  patriot  or  the  patriot's 
tViend:  we  may,  therelbre,   as  well  look  for  a  needle  in  a  hay 
^tack." 

"True,"  said  the  General,  *'he  has,  so  far,  with  female  as. 
sistance,  eluded  our  grasp,  but  with  all  their  characteristic 
cunning,  or  his  military  tact,  ho  carmol  escape,  tor  he  must 
have  gone  to  Cleveland,  either  by  way  of  Milan  and  Elyria,  or 
by  Huron  on  the  ice.  One  of  you  proceed  forthwith  by  the 
former  route,  and  you,  (addressing  another  marshal)  remain 
watching  here,  until  I  return  from  Huron  and  deputise  marsh- 
als there.  He  has  no  way  of  escape  but  by  one  these  routes." 
During  this  lime.  Col.  Bradley  and  Mr.  Ashley,  Adjutant 
Gen.,  being  young  and  active  men,  soon  reached  the  edge  of 
the  woods.  Gen.  M'Leod  being  rather  corpulent  and  heavy, 
I'ell  greatly  in  the  rear,  in  attempting  to  keep  up  with  them, 
pufted  and  blowed  like  a  chased  porpoise,  bawled  out. 

"Bradley,  you  fly  panic  struck.  I  scorn  running  from  an 
enemy  as  you  do." 

" a' good  leason  why,"  retorted  Bradley,  "the  action  of  your 
gravitation  is  too  much  for  your  propelling  powers,  otherwise 
you  would,  on  this  occasion,  outstrip  the  van,  besides  your  back 
is  turned  to  the  enemy  as  well  as  ours." 

"Hush!  hush,"  said  the  fatigued  sweating  General,  "retreat- 
ing in  a  straight  linebeforea  parsuingenemy  is  certain  destrufi- 


1^1 


r^ 


•1^ 


'    !  ,li 


^^ 


•:l 


I  !     •* 


4 


i.  ^'. 


^ 


224 


GEy.    SCOTT^S     PURSUIT. 


tion.  Incline  a  few  paces  lo  tho  left;  wheel  a  quarter  ctrclp 
which  will  place  you  undercover  of  the  thicket,  and  if  the  en- 
emy is  in  blind  pursuit,  he  will  he  unconscious  of  the  mana'u- 
vre — jjiiss  unsuspectingly  in  our  rear,  and  give  us  the  opportu- 
nity of  Mcting  as  prudence  may  suggest.'' 

Til  is  curnrnnnd,  although  given  in  jest,  and  almost  out  of 
hreath,  and,  at  the  time,  unconscious  of  its  real  merit,  was 
proiTijHly  obeyed,  and  actually  proved  their  salvation,  in  a 
lew  minutes  aftervvardiJ  Gen.  Scott  rode  past  on  his  way  to 
Huron.  Had  they  continued  but  a  few  minutes  longer  on  tlu; 
course  liiey  were  pursuing,  the  would  have  been  overtaken  ami 
made  prisoners. 

*'VVeli,  well,''  said  Col.  Bradley,  **I  see   General,   you  uii- 1 
derstand  the  tact  of  converting  a  rout  into  a  safe  retreat.'*' 

*'You  will  find,"  said  the  Gen.,  ''that  the  greatest  battle  ever 
won  was  by  a  previously  well  ordered  and  timely  retreat.— 
Witness  llie  battle  of  Waterloo.  Had  Wellington  atteniplcd 
to  maintain  his  position  at  Quatre  Bras,  or  retreated  farther 
than  he  did,  towards  Brussels,  in  either  case  the  destruction  cl' 
the  English  army  would  have  been  inevitable.  It  was  hisiniis- 
terly  and  timely  retreat,  not  in  a  straight  line,  but  by  inclining 
to  the  left  of  the  French  army,  and  throwing  Gon.  Grouchy  so 
far  to  his  right,  that  lie  could  be  of  no  service  to  Bonaparte  in 
tlie  event  of  an  attack  at  Mount  St.  Jean.  It  also  placed  hiti: 
in  the  most  convenient  and  formidable  position  to  receive  the 
French  and  keep  them  in  check,  until  Blucher  with  the  Pni.* 
sian  allies  could  join  himi.  Had  they  retreated  farther,  Blucli-j 
er  would  have  had  to  contend  with  the  main  body  of  the  Frenchj 
or  fall  back  and  permit  the  French  to  prevent  his  junction  with' 
Wellington,  which  in  either  case  would  have  proved  disastroii 
lo  the  cause  of  the  allies.  Mark,'  said  the  Gen  ,  'by  retrent 
ing  in  a  straight  line,  for  any  distance  before  a  pursuing  enemy.j 
is  bad  generalship,  and  certain  destruction,  but  by  prudcniiy 
inclining  lo  either  flank  you  give  the  pursuer  a  check  and  forcol 
him  to  move  cautiously;  particularly,  in  a  hilly  or  woody  conn 
try,  for  fear  of  your  ultimately  gair^ing  his  rear  and  turningi 
his  victory  into  a  surprise  and  del^eat.  1  might  enumerate  a] 
number  of  instances  where  this  was  the  case  during  the  latij 
French  war,  but  our  own  circumstance  on  the  present  occasior 
however  trifling,  it  may  appear  is  a  proof,  of  what  a  time-l 
ly  manoeuvre  can  effect.  Had  Gen.  Scott  been  our  real  en- 
emy, his  destruction  from  our  timely  and  unperceived  ambubbi 


for 

Strug 

Texa 

instil 

sun  c 

pleas 

^viiho 

Van 

tunes 


l» 


Ill 


3:i 


.1    *l 


flEN.   SCOTT *S   PURSUIT. 


225 


would  have  been  as  certain  as  Gen.  Braddock's  defeat.  But 
on  ll»c  oilier  hand,  had  we  pursued  the  direct  course  we  were 
on,  Gen.  Scott  would  have  made  us  prisoners,  nor  could  wc  help 
ourselves.  Resistance  would  Imvo  only  aggravated  our  case 
and  rendered  escape  impossible." 

"What,"  said  Adj't  Gen.  Ashley,  in  a  surly  tone,  "signiiies 
battles  fought  and  won  by  retreats  or  advances,  while  Slartin 
Van  Buren,  the  Dutch  Kinderhook  President  of  this  groat  Re- 
public, can  out-general  all  other  Generals  with  his  obsolete 
French  Genet  neutral  laws,  which  Mr.  John  Bull,  cruel  a  iv- 
rant  as  he  is,  would  scorn  to  enforce  on  his  subjects.  U^'t- 
ncss  the  case  of  Adtniral  Cochrane  in  the  Spanish  main,  and 
the  allair  of  Admiral  Napier  and  his  English  crow  in  the  Port- 
uguese concern,  as  well  as  Col.  Evans  and  his  English  troops 
ill  Spain.  These  nations  were  all  at  peace,  and  had  neutral 
relations  with  old  Mr.  Bull,  but  he  never  issued  proclamations 
to  prevent  their  learning  or  retaining  the  art  of  whipping  their 
L"nemi(!S.  Mr.  Bull  insisted  in  the  House  of  Comnjons  and  in 
l!ie  House  of  Lords,  spiritual  and  temporal,  that  Britons  had  a 
right  to  fight  under  the  banners  of  any  power  that  chose  to  em- 
ploy tiiem,  provided  they  did  not  turn  their  arms  against  their 
own  country.  President  Jackson,  it  is  true,  sent  some  troops 
01)  the  lines  between  the  United  States  and  Texas,  hut  it  was 
to  prevent  Santa  Annn,  in  the  event  of  his  defeating  the  Tex- 
iaus,  pursuing  them  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Lnited  states. 

After  the  defeat  of  Santa  Anna,  hundreds  of  the  Texians  re- 
turned to  the  United  States;   not  one  of   whom  were  ever  har- 
rassed  as  we  are,  or  tai<en  up  and  tried  for  a  breach  of  the  neu- 
trality laws.     The  Texians  had  not  one   grievance  to  the  nine 
hundred  and  ninety  nine  which  the    Canadians  labor  under. — 
Nor  were  they  oppressed  by  a  foreign  tyrannical  monarchy  as 
the  Canadians  are,  nor    were  the   citizens  of  the  United  States 
by  proclamation  forbidden  to  aid  the  Texians  in  their  struggle 
lor   independence.     Their  war    for  independence  was  a  mere 
struggle  for  the  supremacy  of  one  language  over  another.  For 
Texas  being  then  a  part  of  Mexico  was  governed  by  republican 
institutions.     But  it  was  lelt  for  Van  Buren  to  eclipse  tiie  rising 
sun  of  liberty  in  the  North,  while  Jackson  has  had  the  extreme 
pleasure    of   seeing  it   rise  in  meridian   s[)Iendor  in    the   south 
without  at  all   involving  his  neutral  relations,   with  Mexico. — 
Van  Buren  is  the  sole  cause  of  all  our  defeats,  troubles,  misfor- 
Uines  and  difficulties.     Had  he  left  us  alone,  as  Jackson  did  the 

19* 


#•' 


1; 


I. 
«n 


■' 


H 


I'v;  i 


I, 


{' 


I 


!■       , 


i,   )'.  " 


226 


GEN.    SCOTT'S     PURSUIT. 


Texians,  we  would,  ere  now,  have  been  in  good  winter  quarten 
in  Canada,  an^ong  the  patriots  and  trodden  down  Republicans 
of  that  ill  fated  and  oppressed  country,  raising  their  drooping 
spirits,  and  leading  them  on  to  victory  and  liberty.  By  his 
high  authority,  theoxecutors  of  his  neutral  laws,  the  marshals 
and  officers  of  the  United  States  army,  have  robbed  us  of  our 
arms  and  ammunifiou,  and  dipt  our  wings,  to  render  us  un 
easier  prey  to  the  voracious  sharUs  of  despotism.  lie  is  tht- 
first,  and  it  is  ardently  h(iped,  will  be  the  last  President  of  these; 
confcdernted  States,  who  will  ever  again  lend  assistance  to 
crush  the  efforts  of  the  suHering  sons  of  Freedom.  Ever  sincsi 
Van  Buren  assumed  the  reins  of  government,  the  pecuniary 
and  [)olitical  concerns  of  the  United  States  bc(!ame  changed  in- 
lo  a  state  of  sour  crout  fermentation,  from  the  edects  of  which 
it  will  require  the  wisdom  of  Solomon  to  restore  lliem  to  thuir 
former  sound  and  healthy  action,  lln  has  forced  the  votaries 
of  Canadian  liberty  to  swallow  sour  grapes,  and  has  set  the  teeth 
of  the  true  democracy  of  the  country  ^n  edge;  hut  the  aristocr.u 
wiil  iind  to  his  mortification,  at  the  approaching  presidentifil 
election  that  he  has  been  gnawing  at  files,  and  kicking  against 
the  best  interests  of  the  commonwealth,  lie  will,  also,  find 
ttial  the  great  body  of  the  people,  by  the  grace  of  God,  are  the 
sovereigns  of  this  highly  favored  country,  and  not  he — that  h( 
is  the  servant  and  they  the  master." 

Having  finished  this  chapter  of  grievances,  the  Patriot  fugi- 
tives deemed  it  prudent  to  take  ground  to  the  left,  and  accord- 
ingly marched  ancle  deep  in  water  on  the  ice  to  an  island  in 
the  lake,  where  they  passed  a  cold,  wet,  hungry,  and  tedioLi>^ 
day,  without  shelter* — sometimes  running  and  at  others  jump- 
ing to  keep  their  blood  in  circulation.  The  Adjutant  General 
amusing  them  occasionally  with  fine  spun  lectures  on  the  Amer- 
ican Constitution — its  mal-administration  by  Van  Buren: — the 
sterling  patriotism  and  military  heroism  of  Gen.  Harrison,  the 
next  expected  President  of  thu  United  States; — "Queen  Victo- 
ria," said  he.  **will  find  old  Tip  as  tough  a  piece  of  hickory  to 
deal  with  as  the  French  found  Jackson."  *For,'  said  he,  *Har- 
rison  loves  the  British  tory  embiciles  as  cordially  as  Sampson 
did  the  Philistines,  when  he  slew  a  thousand  of  them  with  thi; 
jaw  bone  of  an  ass,  and  such  is  the  very  man  we  want.  At  the 
river  Thames  he  taught  them  to  dance  to  the  tune  of  Yankee 
Doodle  in  double  quick  time,  and  before  his  term  expires  may 
also  teach  them  to  dance  to  the  tune  of  *Over  the  water  with 
Charley.' 


GEW.    fitOTT'fl    ♦'"RSUlif. 


227 


In  the  shade  of  the  evening  ihe*  ^turned  to  tlic  main  land; 
and  at  nine  o'clock,  P.  M.  after  a  w»  iry  .»urcl  of  some  liours 
through  long  grass  and  woods,  they  ;.  it  up  I'o'  ue  night  at  Mr. 
Winter's  lluuse,  eight  miles  from  P^.riland  c  v,  wIi'm-o  they 
were  couHeously  received,  hospitably  and  kinlly  ot  ♦airier^ 
This  genUeman  is  a  patriot  of  the  old  Jedersoniiin  scivooi,  wW 
had  to  (lee  from  Canada  during  the  lust  war,  for  i  iiising  o 
take  up  arms  against  the  Americans.  His  escape  i>  RuffaJo 
from  the  pursuit  of  the  tory  blood  hounds,  of  that  day,  was 
riearJy  miraculous.  He  suffered  and  sacrificed  much  for  repub- 
lican principles,  and  consequently  felt  deej)ly  interested  for  the 
safety  of  tl»o    proscribed,    hunted  Patriots. 

He  was  so  fearful  that  they  would  he  apprehended,  while 
under  his  roof»  that,  unknown  to  them,  he  placed  his  aged 
wife,  grand  daughter,  an(i  a  large  mastilF  dog  called  growler, 
as  sentinels,  at  regtdav  distanc3s,  to  giund  against  the  surprise 
of  the  marshals,  who  Ii;k!  visited  his  premises  the  day  previous. 
For  this  purpose  growler  was  stationed  at  the  edge  of  the 
u'oodsS,  on  the  main  road,  about  fifty  rods  from  the  house.  This 
stigacious  finimal  barked  at  every  trifling  noise.  The  grand 
daughter,  a  rosy  cheeked  girl  of  eighteen,  took  her  post  at  the 
bars  about  twenty  rods  from  the  house,  and  passed  the  alarm 
as  often  as  given  by  growler,  to  her  grand  mother,  a  lady  of 
seventy  years,  who  was  stationed  halfway  between  her  and  the 
house  ;  she  also  passed  the  word  to  llie  old  gentleman,  who 
stood  near  the  house  to  give  them  the  alarm  in  case  of  danger. 
About  11  o'clock,  as  the  General  went  out  to  view  the  night, 
ho  heard  a  dog  bark  in  the  distance,  and  some  person  in  the 
same  direction  warning  another  that  some  one  was  fipp reaching, 
who  warned  the  old  gentleman.  The  General,  on  looking 
round,  and  perceiving  Mr.  Winters  standing  ai  the  window, 
inquired  what  this  affair  m"ant.  *'VVhy,  (said  the  old  man,) 
we  are  fearful  the  marshals  may  come  and  take  you  by  sur- 
prise. They  were  here  at  noon,  and  njistrusted  that  we  had 
you  somewhere  in  safe  keeping,  and  hinted  that  they  should 
visit  us  during  the  night."  *'But,  (said  the  General,}  you  will. 
all  take  your  death  of^  cold.  If  you  persist  in  thus  exposing 
yourselves,  we  will  leave  the  house  immediately."  '"No,  no, 
(said  he;)  go  in  and  make  yourselves  comfortable,  i  and  th« 
old  lady  woi|(d  die  of  grief,  were  you  taken  prisoners  whUe  un- 
der our  protection.  The  General  went  in  ;  told  Col.  Bradley 
and  the  Adjutant  General  the  circumstance,  requesting  the  for- 
mer to  go  and  prevail  on  the  old  man  to  recall  his  female  pick- 


W 


#» 


w 


<    I 


:l  h 


i 

!    '■ 

1     '       "'  - 

■  ■  I 
1  ■ ' ,  ^ 

!:h 


I' 


fi: :., 


i^ 


«  9 


J 


ii     '. 


''         I 


■A$\  C 


ill 


228 


GtJN.    SCOTT's    pursuit. 


ets.  As  Col.  P>nu]l(!y  was  aftoin[)ting  to  go,  Mr.  Winters  stop* 
pod  in,  almost  broMlhloss,  nnil  without  saying  a  worcJ  How  lo 
the  back  wiiulow,  raisc'd  it  U|),  and  witlj  ti  slenlorian  voir  • 
culled  out,  "Gentlenjcn,  clear  tin?  co()|);  the  marshals  are  on 
your  heels.''  In  an  in.stant  the  patriots  tlew  to  the  window,  h 
was  r(;ally  laughable  to  sec  them  press  through.  Jiradlev  and 
Ashl(?y,  being  Mparc;  anti  active,  soon  cleared  the  coast;  not  so 
the  Gener/il,  who  iiad  to  drag  his  hejwy  length  along.  He, 
unt'oriuniitely,  in  the  hurry  of  the  moment,  fell  heels  ovor 
head  in  a  mud  holo  on  the  outside  of  the  window;  and  on  re 
covering  his  feet,  ran  with  all  his  might,  blowing  liki.'  a  wound- 
ed porpoise,  until  he  reach(Ml  the  oilgu  of  the  woods,  where  Ik; 
found  Bradley  and  Ashlev  comfoitab  v  seated  on  a  locc. 

*'J>radIey,  (i-aid  the  General,)  this  creeping  through  win- 
dows, tumbling  in»o  mud  hoKis,  lunniiig  through  fields,  an'i 
taking  refuge  in  the  woods  in  a  cold  winter  night,  will  nevfM' 
do.  As  we  are  not  permitted  to  give  the  enemy  battle,  or  tako 
him  prisoner,  let  us  send  him  a  Hag  ol'  truce,  and  endeavor  to 
obtain  terms  of  an  honorable  capitulafion.'"'' 

"A  fig  for  a  truce  or  capitulation,  (said  the  Adjutant  Gen;;- 
ral.)  Tliat  will  consign  us  lo  jail  I'or  six  months,  or  perhaps 
three  years.  One  minute's  hberty,  in  a  cold  swamp,  is  worth 
n  thousand  years  of  bondage." 

*'.Just  so,  (said  Bradley;)   a  stitch  in  time  save  nine — a  goml  | 
and  timely  retreat,    in  some  instances,   is  as    good   as  a  battle 
won — ho  that  runs  away,  may  live  to  fight  another  day." 

At  this  time,  Mr.  Winter.-},  having  ascertained  the  cause  of 
ihe  alarm,  cried  out,  *'{ieneral!  come  back.  All  is  well.  It 
is  Dr.  l^jvans,  come  to  see  you." 

After  returning  to  the  house,  and  shaking  hands  with  the 
Doctor,  all  joined  in  a  hearty  laugh,  and  after  each  had  recoii!i- 
ted  his  adventure  through  the  window,  and  the  outposts  being 
called  in,  the   parties  retired  to  rest. 

Early  ne.\t  morning  Cols.  Wilco.K  and  Bacon,  witii  Commit 
sary  James  McKenzie,  joined,  aller  many  hair-breadth  escapes. 
Breakfast  being  over,  the  gallant  Bradley  took  his  final  leave  tu 
join  his  family  at  Green  Creek.  Gen.  McLeod  and  his  remaii'- 
ing  officers,  having  consulted  for  a  few  minutes,  took  up  tlu-ir 
line  of  march  through  the  woods  to  the  half-way  house,  [lere 
his  good  genius  once  more  favored  him.  C^A  approach- 
ing the  house,  they  entered  by  the  back  door,  and  unpcr- 
ceived  by  any  one,  walked  silently  up  stairs,  to  a  room  in 
which  he    had   formerly  lodged.     A    few  minutes  afterwards 


nkw 


tru' 


OEN.     SCOTT'S     PURSUIT 


229 


Mr.  Jolmsloiio,  the  landlord,  came  up  on  some  trifling  busint'.s*, 
und  on  seeing  the  Ooiioriil  ho  unexpectedly,  stood  gazing  in 
atii'zeinent;  ul  longlli  ho  exclaimed,  "General,  you  are  in  im- 
inii'ol  danger;  the  marshals  are  below,  and  threatening  to 
s.  ifch  the  house.'-  "Never  mind,  (suid  Col.  Wilcox,)  wo 
liivc  had  many  nairow  escapes,  and  must  do  the  best  we  can 
.,  ^scapo  again.  You  go  down,  and  keep  ihetn  in  play;  in  atew 
;ii  ancnts  1  will  lollow  und  inforni  you,  m  liieir  hearing,  by  wav 
)incws,   that,  tiic  (Jeneral,  on  his  Nviiy  to  CMeveluiid,  slept  last 

:ght  at  Milan,  and  was  waiting  for  some  of  his  olKcors  to  join 
,,  u."  This  stratagem  had  the  desired  edect.  They  believed 
:ii>;  report;  mounted  their  horses  and  disappeared  in  hot  pur- 
suit. 

The  premises  being  now  clearcil  of  those  government  hunt- 
i!ig-sli;irks,  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  remove  head-quarters 
lorlhwith  to  Mr.  l^arish's  in  Hloomingsvill.^  and  there  disperse 
ill  small  bodies  of  twos  and  threes,  that  by  the  variety  of  their 
routes  liiey  liiight  the  more  easily  bewilder  their  pursuers^. 

On  arriving  at  liloomingsville,  Cols.  Wilcox,  Dacon  and 
i'ommissary  McKcmzi';,  deemed  it  necessary  for  them  to 
depart  immediately  for  the  east  by  the  way  of  Milan,  in  order 
tu  attract  the  alfention  of  the  marshals  in  that  direction.  After 
iheir  departure,  Dr.  Carpenter,  a  whole  soulcd  patriot,  regret- 
liiig  the  unnecessary  olliciousness  of  the  oflicers  of  a  republi- 
can government,  to  apprehend  a  man  whose  only  crime  was 
iiis  unyielding  love  of  liberty  and  hostility  to  monarchy  in 
any  shape  or  form,  felt  deei)ly  interested  that  the  General 
might  elude  the  ingeniously  laid  plans  of  Gen.  Scott  for  his  ap- 
prehension. Tho  Doctor  employed  a  few  active  young  men 
!o  keep  a  good  look-out  during  the  day,  as  well  as  to  prevent 
;i  surprise  by  night,  until  some  means  could  be  procured  to 
I'orward  the  General  safely  to  Cleveland. 

Late  in  the  evening,  he  received  two  despatches  from  the 
(iast — one  from  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer,  dated  20th  Feb.  1838, 
announcing  the  concentration  of  a  large  body  of  Canadians 
and  volunteers  on  Hickory  Island,  for  the  ostensible  purpose 
of  attafcking  Kingsion,  urging  Gen.  McLeod  to  repair  forthwith 
to  that  point, — the  other  was  from  a  M>'.  Nickerson,  dated 
Comstock's  Inn,  eight  miles  above  Bulfalo,  22d  February, 
1838,  also  urging  him  to  make  all  possible  haste  to  take 
the  connnand  of  a  largo  party  forming  in  that  quarter,  to 
cross  on  the  iee  to  Fort  Erie.  These  despatches  arrived  nearly 
a  fortnight  to  late;  nor  was  it  in  his  power,  since  the  defeat 


(' 


(*" 


i>(  1 


.  .1-^ 


i 


m 


,  (■• 


if      V  I 


ii  1 
1 

m 

I  I  Kit,''.'' 


230 


(I EN.    SCOTt's    pursuit. 


at  Fio-htlnfl  Island  nw\  the  afiiur  at  Point  au  Poleo,  to  coiiviU^ 
vvitli  either  request.  For  immediately  al'tor  these  disastrous 
events,  he  wns  liarassiiigly  pursued  by  day,  and  hunted  tiv 
night,  disguised  nnd  compelled  to  seek  refuge  in  the  woods  rind 
swamps.  Had  he  beeu  a  horse  thief  or  a  murrlerer,  lu^  could 
not  have  beeti  more  persevM.'ringiy  pursued.  Such  has  been, 
and  always  will  be  the  fate  of  unsuccessful  patriots.  Tyrunta 
and  despots  may  tram[)le  on  law,  and  riot  on  the  prostrate 
risrhts  and  liberties  ol"  their  fellow  men  with  impunity;  but 
should  a  liberty  inspired  patriot  boldly  dare  to  resist  th'Mr  arbi- 
trary and  ill-gotten  power,  and  prove  unsuccessful  in  the  at. 
tempt,  infamy  and  death  are  liis  portion. 

Early  r.ext  mrirning,  a  friend  from  Portland  (Jitv,  informed 
the  General  that  Scott  hnd  deputised  marshals  in  every  direc- 
tion to  guard  against  the  least  possibility  of  Cvscape,  and  there- 
lore  recommended  him  to  proceed  to  Huron  forthwith,  and 
from  thence  take  the  ice  for  Cleveland.  While  a  team  was  get- 
ting ready  to  convey  them  to  the  former  place,  an  express  ar- 
rived froni  the  half-way  house,  announcing  that  the  marshals 
were  on  their  track,  and  not  more  than  a  mile  ofl.  Tlie  General 
directed  Mr.  A.shley  and  the  other  officers  to  remain  until  the 
marshals  came  up,  and  if  possible  to  send  them  on  a  false  trail, 
while  he,  by  the  guidance  of  Mr.  Byington,  should  take  a  cir- 
cuitous vouie  to  Huron.  After  two  hours  heavy  travel,  through 
deep  clammy  fields,  Ieaj)ing  over  ditches  and  climbing  over 
fences,  they  finally  struck  on  the  road,  just  as  a  lumber  v;agon 
was  passing  for  Huron.  The  teamster  readily  granted  the  Gen- 
eral a  passage. 

Onarrivingjat  a  tavern  some  two  or  three  miles  from  Huron, 
a  gentleman,  in  great  haste,  rode  up  to  the  Gen  eral  and  in- 
formed him  that  a  marshal  from  that  place  was  within  halfa  mile 
of  him  with  orders  to  arrest  him,  and  directed  him  to  alisfhtaiid 
secrete  himself  immcidiately.  The  landlord,  who  was  standing 
by,  hearing  the  conversation,  told  the  gentleman  it  would  be 
of  no  use  to  secrete  tlie  General,  as  the  marshal  would 
search  the  premises;  but,  said  he,  he  had  better  strip  off 
his  great  coat  and  cap — put  on  an  old  pea  j^icket  and  slouched 
hat  of  mine — take  an  axe  in  his  hand,  and  fall  to  chopping  a 
log  on  the  other  side  of  the  pile  of  wood  on  which  the  negro  is 
standing,  and  by  all  means  to  keep  his  back  to  the  house.  The 
General  had  just  got  fairly  to  his  awkward  work,  when  the 
nriarshal  rode  up;at  full  speed,  and  without  pnying  the  least  at- 
tention to  the  chopper  on  thp  other  sjcje  pf  the  pile,  entered  tl\o 


i.rn' 


lee,  to  coni-)I\^ 
lieso  discisl rolls 
and    hunted  l)y 

tho  woods  and 
deror,  hf.  coidd 
Such  hns  been, 
riots.  Tyrants 
n   tho  prostrate 

imjiutiity;  but 
L'siist  \\vni'  arbi- 
ssful   in  tho  nt. 

Citv,  informed 
in  every  diroc- 
i]ie,  and  thcre- 

ibrthvvith,  and 
I  learn  was  get- 

an  express  ar- 
It  tiu;  marshals 
I.  Tile  General 
emain  until  the 
rm  a  false  trail, 
rMd  cake  a  cir- 
t  rave  I,  through 
climbin?  over 

o 

L  lumber  v/agon 
ranted  the  Gen- 

?s  from  Huron, 
ren  eral  and  in- 
thin  halfa  mile 
m  to  alie^ht  and 
o  was  standing 
lan  it  would  be 
marshal  would 
better  strip  off 
it  and  slouched 
to  chopping  a 
ch  the  negro  is 
he  house.  The 
mrk,  when  the 
ng  the  least  at- 
ile,  entered  th© 


lOiise 


GEN.    BCOTT'S   PURSUIT. 

looked  about,  and  after   a  few  moments  close 


231 

con  versa - 
ntod 


[ioii^with  the  gentleman  from  Huron  (Capt.  Robinson)  mounte 
his  horse,  and  rode  olF  for  Bloomingviile.  The  General  dro,, 
i,ed  his  axe,  and  immediately  directed  his  course  towards  Mr. 
i',amp's  inn  at  Huron,  where  he  exchanged  his  pea  jacket  and 
slouched  hat,  for  his  own  more  comfortable  dress,  iviiich  had 
yeen  eent  on.  Shortly  after  Mr.  Ashley  and  the  other  officers 
lined,  and  stated  that  the  marshal  from  the  half-way  house 
jrived  u  few  minutes  after  the  General  left,;  that  Mr.'lWing- 
1011  told  the  marshal  that  the  Gcnierul  had  returned  lo  Mr.  Win- 
lers  by  a  particular  byc-ro.ul,  and  !  >  wouhJ  bo  likely  to  find 
iiiiii  there.  Without  any  more  inquiricy  tho  marshal  directed 
3  course  to  that  place. 

The  next  morning  at  day  light,  the  patriots  tdok  tiieir  depar- 
•;]ic  for  Cleveland,  in  a  wagon  hired  tho  day  previous.  No- 
ling  of  importance  transpired  during  this  muddy  jounuiv,  un- 
J  they  arrived  opposite  a  tavern  in  Ohio  City,  from  whence  a 
j'LM'Son  suddenly  issued,  calling  on  the  toair.ster  to  stop.  Tlio 
iK-neral,  mistrusting  his  object,  seizi-d  the  reins  and  whip  from 
hodriver,  drove  the  poor  jadi,>d  horses  rapidly  down  the  hill 
aiil  across  to  the  Franklin  House  in  tb.e  city  uf  Cleveland.  On 
ijigliling  from  the  wagon,  although  muill-jd  up,  and  litcM'ally 
covered  over  wilU  mud  and  mire,  the  keen-eyL'tl  and  generous 
icarted  landlord,  Mr.  fiarrington,  instantly  recognised  hiiri 
and  ushered  him  into  a  private  apartment,  supplied  him 
with  refreshments,  of  which  he  stood  greatly  in  need,  and  fur- 
iiishcd  him  with  a  suit  of  clothes,  while  the  kitchen  boy  dried 
and  brushed  his  own.  Towards  evening  the  marshals  bf^gan 
to  make  some  stir.  It  was  therefore  d(;emed  advisable  by  the 
General's  friends  to  remove  him  to  a  private  house,  with  which 
proposal  he  readily  complied. 

Early  on  the  succeeding  morning,  som^  individual  procured 
a  private  conveyance  for  him  and  the  Adjutant  General  t'> 
Erie,  which  was  gratefully  embraced.  Here  ended  the  pursuit 
ill  Ohio. 

Notwithstanding  the  extensive  and  deep  laid  plans  of  Gen. 

Scntt,    the  vigilance  and  perseverance  of  the  marshals,    be  it 

remembered  that  with  the  assistance  of  the  ready  wit,  presence 

lof  mind,  and   ingeiiious    stratagems    of  the  male  and   female 

[friends  of  Canadian   freedom,  in  the  Woolverine  and  Buckeye 

states,  the   patriot  oiFicers  were   triumphantly  enabled  to  out 


moeuvre  the  whole  posse  of  Van  Buren's   "neutral  law 

advocates  of  that 


ir 


|."l  1, 


(•I    . 


I; 


■fli 


[preservers,  thus  convincing  the  framera  and 


i 


232 


GEN.    SCOTT'S    PURSUIT. 


'':       IllTti      '        ' 


ii* 


^'^ 


¥:    - 


act  how  highly  the   majority  of  the   citizens  of  these    States 
disapproved  of  its  principle.     They  considered  it  deroguton 
to  the  spirit  and  genius  of  the  Conslitulion,  to  wink  at  one  peo- 
ple struggling  for  liberty  and  crushipg  another  for  the  like  at- 
tempt.    Generally,  there  are  no   people  in   the  world   more  at- 
tached to  the  institutions  of  their  country,  or  more  inclined  foi 
the  faithful  observance  of  the  laws,  or  more  willing  to  assist  iiij 
enforcing  them,  tlian  the   American  citizens.     Hut  they  urgedj 
that  as  the  neutral   relations  of  the  United  States  were  not  en- 
forced against  the  Greeks,  Poles,  or  Texianw,  so  neither  ough 
thev  to  be  against  the  Canadians.    The  Texians  had  iccruitinn-j 
parties  publicly  in  difTorent  cities   of  the  United  States,   anj 
even  in  Canada,  neither  of  which  governments  thought  proper! 
to  interfere.      The  Canadian  leaders  never  attempted  to  set  UiJ 
such  parties.     Their  only  crime  consisted  in  permitting  a  fewl 
citizens  to  escort  them  on  their  wav  across  the  lines. 


\l      i 


;li:-;  J 


'  i, 


i.; 


r  these   Statej 
it  deroguion 
nk  at  one  pco- 
for  the  like  at- 
vorld  trio  re  at- 
ore  ine lined  tn| 
ing  lo  assist  iuj 
ut  they  urged! 
s  were  not  en^ 
I  neither  ought| 
had  jccruitiiif^i 
id  States,    nil; 
thought  proper] 
nnpted  to  set  up] 
^rmitting  a  few] 
nes. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Vho  Hickory  Island  Expedition,  the  lurtherpursuit  afier  Gen.  McLeod,  <^c. 


The  expedition  got  up  at  Hickory  Island,  by  Col.  Bill 
Johnson  and  Gen.  Van  Rensselaer,  on  the  26lh  February, 
broke  up,  for  some  reasons  not  explained,  without  attempt- 
ing any  demonstration  whatever.     It  appears  ttiat  if  one 
half  of  the  number  assembled,  had  but  marched  boldly  lor- 
ward,  Kingston  would  have  been  easily  carried.    The  mili- 
tia in  charge  ot  the  garrison  and  fortifications  were  most  ot 
them  patriots ;  who  on  learning  the  night  on  whicli  the  ai- 
tack  was  to  be  made,  spiked  the  cannon  the  evening  previous, 
mid  made  preparation  to  surrender  the  fort.     Besides  liius, 
live  hundred  patriots  from  Bellville  in  the  Midland  district, 
officered  and  equiped,  marched,  on  the  evening  of  the  ex- 
pected attack  to  assist  in  the  operations  :  but  on  their  arri- 
val within  a  few   miles  of  Kingston,  a  messenger  iVoiu 
Hickory  Island  informed  them  tliat  the  patriots  had  dis- 
})ersed  for  want  of  a  lead(!r.     Tills  unexpected  news  was 
a  death   blow  to  many  of  them.     They   left  their  ho;n;'s 
buoyant  with  the  hopes  of  returning  victorious,  instead  oi 
which  they  found  themselves  compelled  to  disperse  without 
an  effort,  and  their  leaders  forced  to  abandon  tiie  country. 
to  save  their  lives.     Many  of  whom  were  arresttid,  tried  mid 
condemned.  Thus  ended  a  highly  promising,  but  ioolislilv 
managed  expedition. 

The  expedition  got  up  at  Comstock's,  eight  miles  fi'om 
Buffalo,  terminated  in  u  different  manner,  Astheyw.u'ci 
preparing  to  cross  for  Fort  Erie,  Col.  Worth,  with  a  stron;: 
detachment  of  United  States  troops,  reached  their  encairif- 
ment  on  the  ice,  which  the  patriots  supposed  to  be  in  Chii- 
ada.  On  seeinof  them  approach,  the  liberators,  as  they 
termed  themselves,  stood  to  their  arms,  determined  for  a 
light,  should  Col.  Worth  attempt  to  molest  them;  but  aftc:* 
'^'iMe palaoer,  they  were  finally  prevailed  upon  to  ground 
tlieir  arms.  Col.  Worth  burnt  their  encampment;  seized 
20 


m 


nm 


I       i '  i 


1 1 


r 
f 

!' 

1       ra 


m^: 


!  1 


I  n 

r  '•' 
I 


% 


I. 


(     31 


■J'v 


I 


234 


EXPEDITION    AGAINST    FORT    ERIE. 


four  cannon,  three  hundred  muskets,  sixty  rifles,  seventy 
pikes,  thirty  kegs  ammunition,  besides  swords  and  pistols. 
Success  to  the  neutral  laws  !  they  have  done  more  good  for 
dueen  Victoria  than  all  the  tories  in  Canada  ever  did  or 
ever  will  ! ! 

Late  in  the  evening  of  the  26th  March,  Gen.  McLeod 
and  |)arty,  after  a  fatiguing  journey,  arrived  at  Mr.  Com- 
stock's  eight  miles  from  Bulfalo,  exhausted  in  means  find 
strength.  As  they  were  preparing,  next  morning,  to  pro- 
ceed on  their  journey  eastward,  the  General's  old  torment- 
ors, the  neutral  law  marshals,  rode  up.  Mr.  Comstock,  on 
perceiving  them,  gave  the  alarm,  ran  out  and  kept  them 
engaged  until  the  General,  Col.  Wilcox,  and  Capt.  Story 
got  on  the  ice,  and  out  of  sight. 

They  had  but  barely  settled  at  the  Eagle  tavern  in  Buf- 
falo, when  the  marshals  appeared  again  in  full  pursuit. 
Mr.  Huntly,  the  landlord,  put  them  on  another  track,  ap- 
prised the  General,  and  directed  him  to  a  colored  woman's 
house,  who  washed  (or  his  family,  in  the  south  part  of  the 
city,  where  he  would  be  perfectly  safe  until  an  opportunity 
occurred  for  goings  ec\stward.     This  woman,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Baptist  church,  Mr.  Huntly  placed  the  utmost 
confidence  in  her,  and  explained  to  her  the  General's  case, 
and  with  the  consent  of  her  husband  she  agreed  to  secrete 
him  for  a  day  or  two.     Being  much  fatigued,  he  laid  him- 
self down  to  rest.     This  woman,  in  conversation  with  an- 
other, told  her  in  confidence,  that  a  Mr.  McLeod,  from  Ca- 
nada,  was  in  her  house,  and  in  a  hurry  to  get  some  wash- 
ing done,  which  was  the  case.     The  latter  instantly  told 
her  husband,  who  was  a  strong  patriot.     He  supposed  it 
was  Sheriif  McLeod,   who  fiofured  so  notoriously  in  the 
iSchlosser  concern,  and,  therefore,  he  immediately  apprised 
Capt.  Appleby,  who  had  charge  of  the  Caroline  steam  boat 
when  captured  and  driven  over  the  Falls  by  the  British. 
He  instantly  collected  a  dozen  stout  young  men,  and  sup- 
plied them  with  tar  and  feathers,  to  do  the  appropriate  busi- 
ness.    When  they  came  to  the  house,  one  of  them  entered 
to  ascertain  whether  the  stranger  from  Canada  was  there. 
The  colored  woman  became  alarmed  at  seeing  so  many ; 
acknowledged  the    fact,   and    pointed    to  the    room.    A 


you  I 

was 
was 
kers, 
—or 
door 
iittci: 
his  I 
mars 
wise 
yon 
temp 
postr 
clam 
is  no 
die  n 
and  t 
neril. 
conv] 
Ml 
pi  tab 
move 
Heac 
T 
him 
narril 
As 
marj 
she 
they, 
bribe 
an  h 
so  m 
cont 
time 
your 
gone 
In 
con& 
him 


f*> 


PURSUIT    AFTER    m'lEOD. 


235 


les,  seventy 
and  pistols. 

lore  good  for 
ever  did  or 

ren.  McLeod 
at  Mr.  Com- 
1  means  and 
ning,  to  pro- 
old  tonnent- 
Jomstock,  oa 
id  kept  tliem 
.  Capt.  Story 

ivern  in  Ba(- 
full  pursuit, 
ler  track,  ap- 
ired  woman's 
th  part  of  the 
[1  opportunity 
being  a  mem- 
id  the  utmost 
■eneral's  case, 
eed  to  secrete 
he  laid  hini- 
tion  with  an- 
3od,  from  Ca- 
it  some  wasli- 
instantly  told 
[e  supposed  it 
iously  in  the 
ately  apprised  ; 
ne  steam  boat 
y  the  British, 
[len,  and  sup- 
)ropriate  busi- 
them  entered 
da  was  there, 
ing  so  many ; 
he    room.    A 


young  man  entered,  and  after  viewing  the  General,  who 
was  sound  asleep,  returned  and  told  his  companions  that  it 
was  actually  Shtritf  McliOod,  lor  he  knew  him  by  his  whis- 
kers. They  rushed  immediately  in.  The  General  awoke 
—one  of  them  stept  forward  to  collar  and  drag  him  to  the 
door.  He  resisted,  and  declared  the  first  man  that  would 
iittempt  to  lay  a  finger  on  him,  would  receive  the  length  of 
his  bowie  knife.  If,  said  he,  you  are  the  United  States 
marshals,  produce  your  authority,  and  I  surrender — other- 
wise 1  warn  you  to  keep  at  a  distance.  "We  will  soon  let 
you  know  who  we  are,"  said  a  bully  looking  fellow,  at- 
tempting to  close  up.  As  the  General  put  himself  in  a 
posture  ot  defence,  a  Mr.  .Tourdan  stept  forward  and  ex- 
clamied,  "  Gentlemen,  take  care  what  you  are  about !  This 
IS  not  Sheriff  McLeod.  It  is  the  patriot  general,  evading 
the  marshals.  If  any  one  (said  he,  stepping  between  them 
and  the  General,)  lays  a  finger  on  him,  he  docs  it  at  his 
peril."  The  youns:  nien  stood  amazed,  and  being  fully 
convinced,  made  the  amende  honorajjle,  and  retired. 

Mr.  Jourdan  took  the  General  to  his  own  house  and  hos- 
pitably entertained  him  until  it  was  found  necessary  to  re- 
move him  to  Mr.  Bates',  who  kept  the  sign  of  the  Bull's 
Head. 

The  marshals  being  on  the  alert,  searching  strictly  for 
him  everywhere,  he  was  locked  up  for  some  hoiirs  in  a 
narrow  cupboard,  without  the  power  of  lying  or  turning. 
As  Mrs.  Bates  was  passing  his  place  of  concealment,  two 
marshals  approaclied,  and'  offered  her  ten  dollars  each  if 
she  would  inform  them  where  he  was  concealed — for  said 
they,  "  we  are  satisfied  he  is  in  the  house."  "  If  1  could  be 
bribed  (she  answered  with  apparent  indignation,)  to  betray 
an  honest  patriot,  for  any  sum  of  many,  it  would  not  be  for 
so  mean  and  paltry  a  sum  as  you  offer.  The  General  (she 
continued)  has  been  here  this  morning ;  but  is,  by  this 
time  far  bevond  the  reach  of  either  you  or  the  influence  of 
your  insulting  offers."  From  this  they  concluded  he  had 
gone  east,  and  immediately  left  the  house. 

In  the  evening  the  search  was  renewed  more  strictly ; 
consequently  the"  friends  deemed  it  necessary  to  transfer 
him  to  the  cellar  of  an  uninht\bited  house..    Here  he  spent 


4 


(l('< 


.■1 


i^  '-t 


'>  11 


ii 


M*Ov) 


PURSUIT    AFTER    m'lEOD. 


;    !1  ■ 


*     '■ 


iii 


I,     I 


n  ,"1;  •■ 


ill 


m 
m 


mh 


ill 


'  !  - 
i 


II 


f  ■■. 


-  1  *l-'i''^  -'•' 


^  ' 


:i  most  toniieiUingly  disnirrecable  night.  It  seemed  as  it  jii) 
Uie  rats  ill  the  city  had  congregated  to  dispute  the  posse.s- 
sion  of  the  celUir.  The  bedding  siipphed  hiin  was  of  no 
use.  He  liad  to  stand  on  the  defensive  all  night.  The 
cellar  being  pitch  dark,  it  was  impossible  to  see  or  guard 
riiiainst  them.  In  the  first  part  of  the  night,  while  he  lay 
on  his  bed,  they  ran  over  and  around*  him  in  every  diret- 
iion,  squealing,  chattering  and  fighting  like  a  drunken 
rabble  of  Canadian  torics  at  an  election.  Sometimes 
they  would  iiold  a  truce  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes,  and 
then,  as  if  all  the  evil  spirits  in  the  universe  were  let  loose, 
would  rush  from  every  quarter  to  all  quarters,  lumblinu' 
nnd  overturning  every  thing  in  the  way.  A  little  after 
njidniirht,  about  a  dozen  of  the  hostile  vermin  rushed  over 
;iis  body  as  lie  lay.  Under  the  idea  ol  being  really  attacked, 
he  gave  an  involuntary  leap  towards  the  center  of  the  floor 
and  fell  like  a  log.  The  scattering  that  took  place,  and  tiio 
chitteiing,  scolding  noise  that  ensued  battles  description. 
Oil  getting  up  he  found  an  old  axe  handle,  with  which  ho 
neat  about,  and  kept  a  very  unpeaceable  possession  of  the 
floor  until  relieved  next  morning. 

At  10  o'clock,  A.  M.  a  member  of  tlie  Provincial  Parlin- 
meiit  of  IT.  C.  procured  a  passage  for  him  in  the  cars  to  the 
Falls,  where  Messrs.  Mills,  Doyle,  and  some  other  exiles  | 
met,  and  accompanied  him  to  Lewiston. 

He  had  not  been  there  over  a  few  minutes,  when  sonic 
mischievous  wa^f  sent  word  across  to  Queenston  that  Gen. 
r/^cliCod  had  arrived  from  the  west  with  five  hundred  oi 
the  Navy  Island  patriots,  and  intended  crossing  tliat  night, 
to  take  the  place  and  attack  Fort  George.  Expresses,  to 
spread  the  olarm^  were  instantly  despatched  in  every  direc 
tion.  The  tory  part  of  the  community  were  seized  with 
consternalior..  A  deputation  was  sent  to  Lewiston  tons- 
certain  the  fact ,  when,  lo  !  it  was  found  that  Gen.  McLeod 
had  come  alone,  and  had  gone  to  Lockport. 

The  personal  narrative,  so  fiar  introduced,  of  the  suffer- 
ings of  some  of  those  who  attempted  to  assist  the  Canadi- 
ans, is  not  done  to  procure  praise  or  excite  sympathy  for 
them,  as  individuals,  but  solely  that  the  reader  may  have 
it  in  his  power  to  judge,  to  some  small  extent,  of  the  great 


PURSUIT    AFTEJl    M  LEOD. 


237 


nied  as  itjii) 
0  the  possew- 
11  was  of  no 
iiiylit.  The 
sue  or  guard 
while  he  hiy 

every  dirci:- 
5  a  drunken 
Sometimes 
minutes,  and 
ere  let  loose, 
irs,  inmblinu' 
A  little  aller 

ruslied  over 
\lly  attacked, 
n*  of  the  floor 
jlace,  and  the 
3  description, 
ith  which  he 
session  of  the 

ncial  Parli fi- 
le cars  to  the 
J  other  exiles 

:{,  when  some 
ton  that  Gen. 
hniulrod  of 
iir  tliat  night. 
Expresses,  to 
n  every  direc 
e  seized  with 
Bwiston  to  as- 
>en.  McLeod 

of  the  sufFer- 
t  the  Canadi- 
sympathy  for 
ler  may  have 
,  of  the  great 


debt  of  gratitude  which  the  Colonial  authorities,  and  mo- 
ther En*iland  owe  to  the  American  executive,  in  enabling 
tliemstdl  longer  to  liuircr  out  the  rickety,  bayonet-propped 
o;overnfn(Mit  of  the  Canadas.  l!aa  the  same  facihties  been 
■liven  to  tlie  ( Canadian  Patriots,  that  were  oivon  to  the  vol- 
uuteers  for  Texas,  the  gallant  men  wlio  crossed  the  line  at 
different  points,  in  small  bodies,  and  at  different  times, 
uii^ht  have  rendezvoused,  ori^anized  and  crossed  together; 
—and  if  they  iiad — wt;ere  would  have  been  the  red  cross 
of  St.  Georiiie  now?  Would  it  have  floated  iVom  a  singhi 
lortress  on  this  Continent?  One  victory  alone  was  all 
the  Republicans  wanted,  and  the  shout  of  that  victory 
would  have  roused  the  whole  Provinces  in  rebellion,  from 
Lake  St.  Clair  to  Newfoundland.  One  spirit  would  have 
animated  them — one  heart  and  one  soul — to  lay  the  boun- 
dary line  in  the  deep  bosom  of  :he  Atlantic. 

"Think  iiotliin?  gaincij,"  tlicyVt  cry,  '-till  iiouL'lit  remnins 
On  QiicIk"  ,'s  tovvcr3 — till  rreciloiu's  staiidaids  Hy, 
And  all  he  oars,  beneuth  t!ie  iioriliern  !<ky." 

It  was  not  to  be  so,  however.  This  glorious  result,  the 
hope  of  which  supported  so  many  brave  men  through  suf- 
ferings, of  which  but  a  faint  idea  can  he  had  from  these 
pfiires,  was  frustrated,  not  by  the  Colon i.il  power,  nor  by 
0ran2:e  vaorants,  but  by  the  tlnilcd  Slates'  Exeaitlve,  by 
the  aid  of  its  troops  and  Marshals, 

The  remainder  of  this  personal  narrative  is  necessarily 
deferred  for  another  volume,  which  will  appear  at  the  pro- 
per tune. 

The  state  of  the  Canadas,  at  this  time,  was  truly  dis- 
tressing. Government  spies  were  spread  all  over  the  Pro- 
vince—neighbor in  dread  of  neighbor— families  divided 
and  estranged  — jails  and  other  prisons  filled  to  overflowing 
-confidence  lost— the  constitution  overturned— the  habe- 
iis  corpus  act  suspended— martial  law  in  force— military 
tribunals  consigning-  the  people  to  execution  and  banish- 
ment by  hundreds— doos,  with  their  throats  cut,  were 
hung,  in  the  dead  of  night,  at  th .  Governor's  and  Chief 
Justice's  door,  with  superscriptions  over  them  in  blood, 
"Mathews  and  Lout"— '-Vengeance  cries  aloud."  The 
Chief  Justice,  in  dread  of  his  life,  obtained  leave  of  ab- 
20* 


;■      %^ 


M 


III'' 


li!- '- 


i  /  a 


f 


\r 


i,. 


;  I 


11 


I  H 


0 


■I  1  !  Ill  ^'  *-    ,* 


m 


o 


LOU  NT    AKL)    MATTUKWS. 


sOcnce,  iirid  returned  to  En<ilaiid — business  and  commerce 
were  prostrated — lariuers  and  iriechanics  eniiiirating  to  the 
western  Slates  by  lil'tys  and  liundreds,  and  society  Was 
completely  disoriianized.  Such  was  the  unforiunato  state 
to  Wiiich  the  maternal  care  ol  Great  Britain  has  reduced 
(he  (Janadas. 

On  ilie  12th  April,  Colonel  lionnt  and  Capt.  Mathews, 
two  of  the  bravest  of  the  Canadian  Patriots,  were  executed 
bv  order  of  Sir  Geo.  Arthur.     Pctitioiis  si^qied  Ijy  upwards 
ot"  iJO,UUO  persons,  were  preseiilea  to  iiini,  prayini>-  him  to 
tfpiu'e  tlieir  lives,  l)Ul  in  vain,     lie  and  the  compact  thirs- 
ted for  llieir  blood.      Civpl.  Akahews  hjft  a  widow  and  Hi'- 
teen  children,  and  (\")1.  J.ount  a  widow  and  seven  children. 
Lount    was  upwards  of  six  feet  in  hei<i;ht — a  fine,  noblo: 
iookiiiiX  man,  in  his   forty-seventh  year,     "'hey  behaved' 
with  i^reat  resolution   at  tfie  ir/iliows.     '"I'he  spectacle  o'' 
Lount  after  the  execution  was  the  most  shockina'  siirhi 
that  can  l)e  imao;iiK'd    He  was  covered  over  wiili  his  blood: 
the  lie:id  beinfr  nearly  severed  from  his  body,  owing  to  the 
depth  of  the  f.ill.     ?.lore  horrible  to  relate — when  he  was 
cut  down,  two  Orange  ruffians  seized  the  end  of  the  rope 
a.nd  dr.igoed  tfie  mangled  corj^se  along  the  ground  in.to  the 
jail  yard,  exclaiming,  "this  is  the  way  every  damned  rebel 
deserves  to  be  served."     Mrs.  Lount  was  lor  three  moiitlis 
prevented  from  seeing  her  husband,  by  the  monster.  Head. 
When  she  was  allowed  to  enter  the  dungeon,  she  saw  him 
with  his  eyes  sunk  in  their  sockets,  his  face  pale,  worn 
down  to  a  skeleton,  and  heavily  chained.     After  the  de- 
feat at  Montgomery's,  he  had  travelled  hundreds  of  miles,:; 
t!iroug}i    forests,   rivers,  sv/amps  and  desolate  phices,  by 
night  and  by  day;  and  at  last,  while  attempting  to  cross  1 
Lake  Eric^  and  once  more  m  sight  of  his  native  shore,  he 
was  d liven  back  upon  the  Canada  coast,  surrounded  by  a 
fiorde  of  negroes  and  Orange  men — carried  before  the  ma-i 
gistrates  on  a  charge  of  being  a  salt  smuirijler,  and  was| 
about  getting  clear,  whcu  Sheriff  Jarvis  came  in  and  re- i 
cognized  him,  and  ordered  his  close  detention.    Mr.  Charles 
Durand,  then  under  sentence  of  death,  gives  the  following 
account  of  these  noble  martyrs  : — "Mathews  always  bore; 
up  in  spirits  well.     He  was,  until  death,  firm  in  his  opiii- 


^a 


LOUNT    AND    MATTHEWS. 


239 


unci  commerce 
i orating  to  ihe 
d  socitilv  Was 
foriunato  state. 
1  lius  reduced 

iapt.  Mathews, 
wero  ex  ecu  led 
ed  by  upwards 
rayinii*  him  to 
compact  thirs- 
widiiw  and  lii'- 
even  children. 
-a  fine,  noble 
Hicy  behaved' 
le  spectacle  o"^' 
?h()ckinii'  siirht' 
with  his  blood: 
.',  owini(  to  the 
-when  he  was 
nd  of  the  rope 
ironnd  into  the 
'  damned  rebel 
r  three  rnoiitlis 
monster,  FIcad. 
II,  she  saw  him; 
ice  pale,  worn 

y\lier  the  de- 
dreds  of  miles., 
late  phtces,  by 
iiptino-  to  cross 
alive  shore,  he 
n-ronnded  by  a 

before  the  ma- 
r^ler.  and  wasi 
Lime  in  and  re- ; 
1,    Mr.  Charles  J 
s  the  followinir 
's  always  bore 
m  in  his  opin- 


ion of  the  justice  of  the  cause  he  had  espoused.     He  never 
recanted,     lie  was  ironed  and  kept  in  the  darkest  cell  of 
the  prison,  like  a  murderer.     He  slept  sometimes  in  blan- 
kets th.'tt  were  wet  and  frozen.     He  bad  nothiui^  to  cheer 
him  but  the  approbation  of  his  conscience.     J.!ount  was 
ironed,  though  kc^pt  in  a  better  room.    He  was  in  gO(,d  spir- 
its.    He  used  to  toil  us  in  wnlino-,  not  to  lie  cast  down,  that 
he  believed  Canada  would  yet  l)e  free,  that  we  were  con- 
teiidinii'  in  a  good  cause.     He  said  he  was  not  sorry  for 
what  lie  liad  done,  and  that  he  would  do  so  aoain;  this  was 
his  mind  until  death.     liount  was  a  well  iulormcd  man,  a 
social  and  excellent  companion.     He  sometimes  spoke  to 
us  under  the  sill  of  the  door.     He  did  so  on  the  mornin<: 
nfhis  execution  !     He  bid  us  "farewell,"  and  told  us  that 
he  was  on  Ins  way  to  another  world.     He  was  calm  and 
serene.     I  hi  and  iMathcws  Cimie  out  to  the  gallows,  which 
was  just  before  our  window  grates.     They  ascended  tlie 
platform  with  unfaltering  steps.     J.;Ount  turned  his  head 
towards  his  friends,  wljo  were  looking  throni^b  the  iron 
o'irt  windows,  nodding,  as  if  to  say,  "farewell  !"     He  and 
Mathews  knelt  and  pr;iyed,  and  were  launched  into  eterni- 
ty.    A  thrill  of  i\(^Q\)  horror  seized  all  pivsent,  except  the 
Orange  ])arty."      Thirty  otliers  were  under  sentence  of 
death  in  the  Upper,  and  about  a  hundred  in  the  Lower 
Province.     From  this  period,  until  1839,  the  f^allows  ot 
iioth  Provinces  were  glutted  with  the  blood  of  victmis. — 
Fjven  the  inliuman  Sir  Geo.  Arthur,  became  so  sick  at  the 
repetition  of  so  much  gallows  strangling,  that,  contrary  to 
the  earnest  and  hellisli  entreaties  of  the  bloody  compact, 
he  commuted  the  sentence  of  many  to  l)anis!)ment.     So 
outrageom^:  were  these  cravens,  for  the  blond  of  the  imfor- 
iiuiate  Patriots,  that  Dalton,  the  editor  of  their  organ  news-^ 
paper,  a  demon  incarnate,  adjured  his  Excellency  not  to 
he  led  away  with  his  finer  feeling,  by  grantino-  tfie  royal 
mercy  to  any  of  them;  but  to  order  their  immediate  execu- 
tion— that  tiie  gallows  was  hungry  and  lor^ginof  for  its 
prey,  and  ought  to  be  satiated  to  a  surfeit.     In  Kingston 
they  ^?ive  out  the  job  of  strangling,  by  the  dozen,  to  the 
lowe?t  bidder.     In  the  Lower  Province  the  blood-thirsty 
military  tribunals  were  consigning  them,  by  scores,  to  the 


^ 


I: 


m 


.1 1 


1 

)  'i 


y^ 


'i 


i    ^    ■■ 


'V.l 


ii: 


.ir-i  ■' 


mi... 


240 


THE    LONDON    KXAMINEH. 


scaflbld.  (The  Moiitroal  lleralcl  bo;istcd  of  tlieir  now  gal- 
lows, wiiicli  would  haiiij;  seven  at  a  tiuii',  cointortnhly,  und 
ten  at  a  piiicli.)  'V\ni  pt^iilions  ot  tlious;itids  oC  tlie  liu- 
nuuie,  the  prayers  of  relaiives,  the  siirlis  and  iiiij)loriiii; 
tears  of  siipplicaliny-  motiiers  and  wives,  were  ahue  disii;- 
<rarded  .and  treated  willi  conienipt. 

On  the  arrival  of  ►Jju*  (ieor<re  Artlujrfroni  Van  Diemau's 
J.iand,  as  I  ientenant  (Governor  ol  the  Upper  Province,  it 
was  currently  reported,  tluit  lie  had  orders  Iroui  llie  hoiiif 
^overrnncint  to  proclaim  a  ijeneral  aninestv — redress  provin- 
cial grievances,  (is  ii.snal,  and  riilease  all  political  prisuner.s. 
In  consecpience  of  tliis  the  PatruUs  ceased  from  ;uiy  further 
ellbrts,  and  wtu'e  about  peacijably  settlimr  themselves,  to 
await  the  event,  but  instead  of  an  amnesty— redress  of  one- 
vances,  or  a  release  of  j)risoners,  Mathews  ;uid  LiOunt,  con- 
trary to  rdl  expectation,  were  executed  with  a  barbarity 
which  cbalbmoes  a  parallel  in  tlie  annals  of  the  most  fero- 
cious savaiJ:es, — the  countiy  was  scoured  in  every  direction 
lor  susi)ected  persons;  and  the  dun;x(H)ns  daily  tenanted 
with  (resh  victims.  The  prisoners  sentenced  to  banishment 
were  chained,  ordered  to  (Quebec,  where  their  heads  were 
shaevd,  and  then  sent  to  Van  Diemau's  land  and  stamped 
with  infamy. 

The  followini!^  extract  from  the  London  Examiner,  will 
show  the  feelings  with  whicli  the  intellii^ence  of  the  first 
executions  was  received  there.         ■»         -^^         *         * 

^'•Tlie  news  from  Upper  Canada  is  bad.  because  bloody, 
We  allude  to  the  execution  at '^Foronto  of  Samuel  liOunt 
and  Peter  Mathews,  convicted  of  liiL»-h  treason,  as  bavin': 
bfen  concerned  in  the  late  disturbances.  Four  other  per- 
sersons  convicted  of  the  same  crime,  were  to  be  hanged  at 
Toronto,  on  the  30th  of  April,  and  seven  at  Hamilton  on 
the  24ih. 

"There  !  Lord  Gleneln: ! — such  is  the  first  act  of  the  ci-de- 
vant Gaoler — the  Col.  Arthur  of  Van  Diemau's  Land  ;that 
Hell  upon  earth,  whom  you  have  sent  to  frovern  a  free 
people.  His  conduct  is  precisely  what  might  have  been 
expected  tmm  a  person  into  whose  previous  proceedings, 
for  some  excellent  reason  tlie  Colonial  Office  would  never 
permit  a  parliamentary  enquiry,  though  they  patronised 
and  promoted  him. 


Tin:    LONDON    KXAMINKII. 


211 


5  proceedings, 


•  •  It  certainly  was  u  tacit  uiuicrstaiidinir,  that  a  niercirul 
use  was  to  Le  inude  oillie  victory  oblaiiied  by  the  govern- 
iiieiit  oi  Canada— that  no  bloody  reven»je  would  be  taken 
utter  the  daiifzer  was  over.  \\  e  are  much  nJl5^taken  if  that 
j-overniiient  is  not  sownig  the  teeds  ol  deep  and  dire  hostil- 
iiyio  Jirilisli  rule,  even  in  quarters  where  the  disposition  is 
[owurds  loyalty.  These  useless  executions  are  revolting 
;o  humanity.  ►Such  sheddiiijr  of  blood  as  this,  is  sowin;!^- 
ihe  dragon's  tectii,  for  whicli  we  shall  reap  a  liarvest  ot 
alined  men.  Even  in  Portu<;al,  a  ^^anieral  amnesty  has  been 
jiroclaimed  to  political  ollenders;  but  in  Canada,  under  Brit- 
ish rule,  t/icj/  arc  trcattd  us  felon ti. 

"We  have  private  intelligence  from  Montreal,  that  bears 
evidence  of  the  arbilary  disposition  and  tears  of  the  govern- 
ment at  j)resent  in  autliority  there.  On  the  11th  of  April, 
ihe  press  and  types  ot  the  Vindicator,  were  seized  in  con- 
M^ijuence  of  the  reprintofotir  articles  on  Canada,  in  the  last 
iiiunber  of  the  London  and  Westminster  Review,  and  Mr. 
Larrequo  was  in  jail  on  a  charge  of  having  directed  the 
nile  of  tlie  article. 

"These  proceedin2:s  against  t!ie  press  are  uniformly  the 
resort  o{  a  weak^  unpopular,  and  cowardly  government.''' 

It  was  now  asc  rfained,  beyond  doubt,  that  the  new  gov- 
ernor was  instructed  to  carry  out  the  barbarous  measures 
of  his  mad,  proL?c.ribinu"  predecessor.  They  saw  no  hope 
of  an  amelioration  of  their  distressing  condition, — nothing 
:ut  new  pretences  to  further  violence  and  arbitrary  rule. — 
They  saw  their  peaceable,  unoiibnding  neighbors  and  rela- 
iions  daily  imprisoned,  through  the  ao;ency  of  secret  inlorm- 
'Ts,  without  the  siKidow  of  crime.  They  were  satisfied  that 
ilieir  lives  and  liberties  were  at  the  disposal  of  every  vif- 
lain  who  chose,  from  private  pique,  to  give  false  informa- 
tion. Neighbors,  who  formerly  lived  on  the  most  friendly 
terms,  became  estrani2:ed  and  dreaded  to  converse  with  each 
other.  Fearing  that  their  turn  for  imprisonment  might 
come  next;  hundreds  fled  to  the  United  States,  where  in 
conjunction  with  former  exiles,  they  entered  into  plans  to 
relieve  tlieir  suffering  countrymen,  or  die  in  the  attempt. 

For  this  purpose,  they  began  to  concentrate  at  different 
points  on  the  frontier,  where  they  considered  themselves 


N 


>■■; 


m. 


I  t: 


K: 


¥ 


^\2 


llURNINU    O^   TIIK   SIR   U.    PEEL. 


less  lial)lo  to  be  suspected  l)y  either  jrovcrniiient.     A  cor 
tespoiuleiice  Wiis   kept  with  the   IVieiids  in    Canada,   who 
were  j)ressini(ly  urgent  in  their  demands  (orarnis,tljat  tlicy 
niiiilit  nnmtidialely  attempt  and  occupy  certain  positions  on 
the  h'onlier  as  pUiees  ol"  rendezvous. 

IV)  meet  this  demand,  a  party  ot  28  n)on,  from  the  Mid- 
hiiid  District,  assembled  on  the  29th  of  May,  on  oneoftho 
thousand  islands,  to  captnie  some  ilritish  steamer,  to  nioiiui 
and  man  lier  lor  lacihtatini^  tlie  transj)oitation  o(  men,  arms 
and  other  material,  I'rom  one  part  ol  the  lake  to  the  other. 
To  carry  this  object  into  eircct,  they  disguised  themselves 
in  the  Indian  costume,  painted  their  laces,  warrior  lashioii, 
with  black,  red  and  yellow  colors,  llavinjj  thus  prepared 
themselves,  late  m  the  evening'  they  drop,t  down  the  river 
in  two  loui^  boats;  one  ot  sixteeii,  and  the  other  of  twelve 
Qars  ; — cruised  about  imiil  11  o'clock,  P.  ]\].,  Avhen  the 
Robert  Peel  hove  in  si<rht,  plyina*  lor  Wells'  Island,  for  fuel. 
Tiie  Patriots  inunediately  landed  about  80  rods  above  tli(! 
wharf; — secured  their  boats,  and  proceeded  through  a  dark 
swamp  to  attack  her  on  the  land  side.  Of  tlie  28  men,  on- 
ly 13  got  through  in  time.  The  rest  tlirouoh  the  tartarian 
darkness  of  the  swamp,  got  bewildered  a  jd  lost  themselves. 
Ai  first  thirteen  were  considered  too  few  to  make  so  daring 
an  attempt ;  buttlieir  leader  reu.arked  thirteen  was  a  lucky 
number,  a  baker's  dozen, — that  the  opportunity  was  good; 
if  they  lost  it,  they  might  not  get  another — that  he  was  con- 
fident that  by  boarding  her  under  a  desperate  pow  wow, 
which  from  the  stillness  of  the  night,  and  their  savage  ap- 
pearance would  strike  so  sudden  a  panic  in  the  crew  and 
passengers;  that  the  boat  would  b"  instantly  surrendered.— 
These  remarks  had  tlie  desired  etfect.  The  signal  to  bonrd 
was  given — the  terrifying  pow  wow  raised — the  woods  re- 
echoed the  howl.  The  captain  and  crew  were  panic 
struck,  and  fled  in  every  direction.  The  male  passengers, 
52  in  number,  followed  and  the  boat  was  taken  without  re- 
sistance. One  of  the  crew,  an  Irishman,  having  recovered 
from  his  panic,  stood  at  a  distance,  halloed  out,  "the  devil 
saze  the  likes  o'  ye,  for  ye  r  worse  than  the  Coimauglit 
rangers,  wid  ye'er  ingin  nager  faces, — bad  luck  to  yees  !" 
.'^llemember  the  Caroline  Pat,"  exclaimed  one  of  the  Patri- 


BURNING   OP   TIIK    Sill    R.    PEEL. 


2A3 


of  the'  Pairi-  > 


lots.  '-Is't  Caroline  Mulioney  ye  mane,  ye  nagor  spalpeen 
ye,  fait  and  its  iiolafter  tlie  ^likes  o'  ye  she'd  be  looki^<^" 
'Come  aboard  pat,"  contimifd  the  patriot,  "and  take  a\vay 
vour  duds."  "Is't  rneselt  ye  mane,  ye  blue  tliafe  of  a  Ma:,rcr7 
llhedivil  trust  the  like's  o'  ye,— do  ye  think  I'll  iro  ahoard 
and  see  myself  kilt  wid  such  hathuns  as  ye  are."  'I'he  pat- 
riot attempted  to  get  up  to  him,— "Ah  bad  luck  to  ye,"  said 
Put;  "ist  alther  that  ye  are  7— there's  two  can  do  that  my 
darling;"  and  olf  he  went. 

The  boat  beinir  unn)oored,  dropt  down  the  stream.  On 
attempting  to  work  her,  they  found  thijy  had  not  sulficient 
hands,  nor  any  one  that  could  manage  [ler  engines.  In 
ttiis  unexpected  dilemma,  they  wim'c  for  some  time  at  a  stand 
what  to  do,  and  finally,  concluded,  as  day  light  was  fast 
approaching,  and  no  signs  of  the  other  patriots  coming  to 
their  assistance,  to  otter  her  as  a  burnt  olferingto  the  shades 
of  the  Caroline,  and  depart  to  their  rendezvous. 

In  the  latter  p.u't  of  June,  at  tlie  urg<3Ut  recjuest  of  tlie  pat- 
riots in  the  Niagara  and  (Jore  Districts,  a  strong  party  pre- 
pared to  cross  from  Lewiston,  but  as  usual,  the  United 
States  oilicers  interfered,  arrested  their  leaders,  and  frus- 
irated  tlieir  desi<rn.  In  a  short  limo  alterwards,  however, 
about  thirty  resolutes  crossed  to  the  Short  Hills,  determined 
to  stand  their  ground.  It  was  not  long  before  they  number- 
ed upwards  of  seventy  men.  The  Canadian  authorities  mis- 
trusting that  the  discontented  were  mustering  in  that  quar- 
ter, despatched  a  company  of  Lancers  to  reconnoitre.  The 
Patriots  immediately  attacked  and  made  the  whole  of  them 
prisoners.  Having  no  way  to  secure  or  maintain  them, 
they  were  sworn  to  secrecy,  and  not  to  bear  arms  during 
the  Patriot  war,  and  dismissed.  The  alarm  was  soon  spread 
-the  regulars  and  black  militia  were  ordered  out — the 
Patriots  were  quickly  surrounded,  and  after  a  show  of  re- 
sistance, were  compelled  to  surrender  to  an  overwhelming 
force.  They  were  immediately  afterwards  tried  and  sen- 
tenced to  be  Imnarand  quartered.  All  of  them  were  reprie- 
ved, but  sent  into  banishment,  excepting  Col.  Moreau,  their 
leader,  who  was  barbarously  executed.  The  sentence  pro- 
nounced upon  this  martyr  to  Canadian  freedom,  by  Judge 
Jonas  Jones,  a  cruel,  vindictive  spawn  of  one  of  the  Wyo- 


'ti 


244 


AFFAIR    OF    SHORT    HILLS. 


!  •      '.  1 


i 


Mi  1)^  ■  '' 

Tiir  i 

|.  .Mi 


min§^  murderers',  was  "that  you,  James  Moreau,  be  takem 
to  tlie  jail  from  whence  you  came,  and  on  the  25th  dayo| 
the  present  month  of  August,  you  be  drawn  on  a  hurdle  to^ 
the  pUice  of  execution,  and  that  you  there  be  hanged  by  W\4 
neck  until  dead,  dead  ;  then  your  body  lobe  quartered"!!! 
The  horror  which  this  demoniac  sentence  inspired  w.is 
the  caus<^  of  the  Salina  meetinsr,  and  the  first  powerful  sti- 
mulus to  the  Prescott  expedition.  To  drive  such  a  hellish 
power  of!'  the  continent  of  America  appeared  to  bo  doiiii,^ 
God  service.  In  the  early  part  of  July  (mother,  but  a  l:ir 
more  formidable  party  were  assemblinjj:  above  Detroit;  \)u[\ 
the  neutral  law  vio'ilance  of  the  marshals,  Gen.  Brady,  and 
his  guards  they  were  also  dispersed  while  in  the  ant  ol  pre- 
parin^r  to  return  to  their  own  country.  Nothing  furthered 
importance  took  place  during  the  reniainmg  summer 
months;  only  that  the  Patriots  wore  leaving  Canada  by 
tifties  and  hundreds  to  purchase  arms  and  ammunition  for 
an  active  winter's  campaign.  On  the  IGth  of  September,! 
upwards  of  seventy  delegates,  represent  iiiirdiflercnt  sections 
of  Upper  Canada  met  in  convention  at to  or- 
ganise   ■ propose  measures  :  form  plans,  raid  adopi 

a  uujfbrm  course  of  proceedure.  Committees  were  appoint^ 
ed  at  different  stations  to  receive  and  forward  such  supplies 
of  military  stores,  as  they   might  obtain,  to  such    places  ii* 
would  be  pointed  out. 

At  this  time,  the  state  paid  priests  of  the  Canadas  secret* 
ly  hired  themselves  to  the  government,  as  spies,    who  sup- 
plied them  with  blank   books,   to  record  the  names  of  the 
disaffected  part  of  their  respective  couiiregatiotis,  for  secretj 
references.     Sir  Geo.  Artfiur,  on   ex  imininir  these  blackj 
lists,  became   alarmed   at  the  vast  catalo^rue  of  disaflected;] 
names,  which  each  of  them  unfolded — wrote  to   the  secre- 
tary of  the  ("olonies,  that  there  was  no  use  in,  any  lonn'or 
disijuisinir  the  truth,  that  the  majority  of  the  people  of  Up-; 
per  Canada  were  disalfocted.     Six  of  the   Ryerson   Metho- 
dist parsons,  for  the  mammon  of  luirighteousness,  Jndns 
like,  deserted  the  Canada  conference,  sold  their  iiocks  to  be^ 
come  inf(")rrners  on  th^  people  to  the  i^overument,  and  weref 
rewarded  for  black  balling  th(3  people,  with  an    ordinatimif 
in  the  bayonet  establisli»id  church.  ^I'lOUO  of  the  peop!o's| 


moiH 

and 

of  'st 

curri 

poste 

Unit' 

iippe 

-ivin 

o'ove 

"  T 

ince, 

Sept 

rebel 

dienc 

After 

ter  0 

Oliar 
aloiK 

;ed  V 
siouG 
plain 
cers, 
iorce 
zed  I 
whei 
direc 
iipor 
offici 
ded 


f  I  n 


reau,  be  takem 

he  25th  day  o| 

on  a  hurdle  id 

hanged  by  th(« 

quartered"! ! ! 

inspired  w;is 

t  i)Ovverral  sti- 

such  a  helhsli' 

dd  to  bo  doiirr 

>ther,  but  a  l:ir 

ve  Detroit;  Ijut; 

en.  Brady,  and 

1  the  act  ol  prc- 

hini)^  iurtherof 

nnio-    summer 

ig-  Oanadti   by; 

mmunition  ki 

of  Septeinbciyl 

fierent  section;^? 

to  or 


LOWliR    PROVINCE. 


245 


ans,  and  in 
s  were  appoiuy 
i  such  supplif'3 
such    places  m 

/anadas  secret* 
^ies,    who  sup-- 
!   names  of  t lie 
ions,  for  secret^; 
iir  these  blackl 
of  disaflectpd; 
e  to   the  secro- 
in,  any  louiror 
people   ofUp-v 
person   Met  ho-,; 
ausness,  Judas^ 
eirtiocks  to  beJ 
nent,  and  weief 
an    ordinatiniil 
of  the  people's! 


money  was  squandered  on  these  worthless  eaves-droppers, 
and  accounted  for  to  their  mock  Parliament  under  liie  bead 
of 'secret  service  money.'  This  system  of  espion.iue  was 
carried  on  to  an  abn'mmor  cxtt-nt.  Informers  were  secretly 
posted  in  every  villa:re  (uid  hamlet  on  the  borders  of  the 
United  States,  taking  lists  ol  those  cuizens  who,  to  them, 
appeared  Gworable  or  nnfiivorable  to  British  interests,  and 
giving  every  other  mfornuition  that  the  Canadian  or  British 
government  required. 

The  liirelinij:  priest  of  iSant  Marie,  in  the  Lower  Prov- 
ince, sent  his  bbick  list  to  Sir  John  Coiliorne,  on  the  4th 
Sept.1838  which  repiesented  the  whole  of  his  parishioners  as 
rebels;  requesting  him  to  send  troops  to  reduce  them  to  obe- 
dience. Troops  were  sent,  and  mark  tlie  horrible  result. 
After  plundering  the  inhabitants,  the  defenceless  females 
■^-ere  compelled  to  sufl'er  all  sorts  of  indioriuies.  A  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Lewis  Raiuville  was  ravished  by  these  in- 
carnates— the  house  having  been  pointed  out  to  them  by 
ijharland,  tlie  vicar.  The  wife  of  a  man  named  Male,  was 
alone  in  her  iiouse,  when  the  soldiers  entered  and  commit- 
;pd  violence  on  her.  Her  ill  treatment  and  friirht  occa- 
sioned her  death.  Her  husband  was  not  .ulowed  to  corn- 
plain.,  and  the  villains  are  yet  unpunished.  Priests,  ofii- 
cers,  soldiers  and  all,  were  against  him.  Five  soldiers 
lorced  into  the  house  of  Louis  Gini;rass.  four  of  them  sei- 
zed his  wife,  and  the  fifth  was  in  the  act  of  insulting  her. 
when  Mr.  Gin  grass  seized  a  bludgeon,  and  with  one  well 
directed  blow,  brought  him  senseless  to  the  floor;  where- 
apon  the  other  four  took  to  th.eir  heels  and  ran  av/ay.  An 
officer  and  several  soldiers  returned  to  take  away  the  woun- 
ded one:  the  ofiicer  reprimanded  and  threatened  Mr.  Ging- 
r.iss;  but  he  answered  that  he  was  ready  to  do  the  same  to 
any  man,  who  dared  to  insult  his  wife.  The  wife  of  Chas. 
Lemay,  one  of  the  very  individuals  who  was  instrumental 
111  getting  the  trooj^s  to  St.  IMarie,  was  most  brutally  insid- 
ted  by  them.  The  wife  of  Fanfu  Delude  was  also  treated 
in  like  manner,  by  five  soldiers,  soon  after  her  confine- 
ment. She  was  insulted  a  second  time,  but  succeeded  in 
making  her  escape.  A  man  named  .Joseph  Bosquet,  on  his 
way  to  procure  a  physician  for  his  wife,  who  was  then  in 
21 


W' 


i    i 


'\ 


;«i 


i :>  ;i 


mW'.'' 


i;  1 


h  i 


.v, 

■    I 


246 


OUTRAGES    IN    THE 


II  dangerous  and  critical  situation,  was  wantonly  detained  as  a 
prisorier  by  tlie  troops:  meanwhile  his  wife  died  in  the  greatest 
agony.     But  British  atrocities  were  not  confined  to  St.  Marie. 

At  Napierville  the  wife  of  Mr. ,  liie  sister  of  Benoni  Ver- 

don,  of  St.  Edward,  who  was  then  one  of  the  state  prisoners, 
under  sentence  of  death,  was  violated,  in  presence  of  her  child 
seven  vears  old,  by  hoven  aohiiers.  This  transaction  took 
place  near  the  priest's  house,  while  ihe  priest  was  most  obse- 
quiously bowing  a!ul  scraping  to  his  Excellency,  Sir  John,  ami 
informing  .igainst  his  parishoners.  The  wife  of  J.  I>.  Pli:ni- 
onuon,  oi' tiie  same  plac',  was  treated  in  the  snme  manner. — 
These  things  are  ahnost  incredible,  and  too  dreadful  to  speak 
of;bui  stl  i'  the  world  c  )uld  not  condemn  without  a  knowledge  of 
them.  Well  niigiit  the  p.itriotic,  though  tory  Dean  Swift,  ex- 
claim, that  "the  wlioie  tribe  of  informers,  whetlior  priest  or 
layman,  are  the  most  accursed,  and  nrostituted  nnd  abandoned 
rai;e,  that  God  ever  permitted  to  ple.gue  mankind." 

The  whole  ir.iteniity  of  stale  paid  priests  are  ahliobtinL: 
curse  to  iiny  people.     Tlie   bawd  that  takes  the  waives  of 
prostitution  ;  the  thief  who  steals  yonr  purse;  the  iiiuidercr 
who  stabs  in  the  dark,  are  less  injurious  to  society  than  the 
clerical  spy  whom  it  nourishes  iti  its  bosoiris  to  stinii:  it  .  ^n 
misery  and   death.     A  foreign  power  holds  possessi.      u 
(!)anada.  and  by  means  oi  its  soldiery,  forces  the  state  leii- 
gioti  on  the  people  whether  they  will  or  not.     The  state 
paid  priesthood  are  the  oro^aniscd   spies  of  that  power.— 
Meekness,  poverty,  humility,  and  benevolence  are  in  their 
mouths,   hut   avaric(\  malevolence,  and  mischief  in  their 
minds.     The  people  of  Canada  have  struorcrlcd  to  jret  free 
from  bondage.     The  state  paid  cler,iy  betrayed  them  like 
Judas.     The  French  ('atholic  priests  of  the  Montreal  Sem- 
inary proffered  their  illi^otton  trold  to  the  indurate  tyrants 
of  their  country  to  butcher  and  fiano-  the  brave  assertors  of 
their  country's  Ireedorn — while,  in  Upper  Canada,  every 
state  paid  priest,  Catholic  and  Protestant,  is  prowling  thro' 
the  land,  seizing,   informing  against,  and  obtaining  the  ar- 
rest of  every  honest  reformer,  whose  firmness  may  have 
made  him   obnoxious  to  them.     One  seventh  of  all  the 
l-ands  in  Upper  Canada,  is  the  bribe  held  out  to  tiiese  state 
pensioned  spies,  and  the  people  are  taxed  to  maintain  them 
besides.   A  government  that  descends  to  prostitute  the  func- 


tions 
longi 
the  1 
oiigh 

so  111 

the  < 
Sons 

Tl 
done 
coul( 
pove 
It  vvi 
of  hi 

W 
your 
Wh( 

ffOIl 

(TV. 

men 
state 
byte 
was: 
,   dro\ 
state 
the 
only 
the 
robl: 
der« 
swo 
that 
and 
the 
ate  J 
hou 
reli; 
and 
the 
Oro 
To 
and 


CORRUPTIONS    OF    THE 


247 


r  detained  as  a 
in  the  greatest 
d  to  St.  Marie. 
»i'  Benoni  Vcr- 
ate  prisoners, 
CO  of  her  child 
insaction  tooli 
vas  most  oh.se- 
Sir  John,  and 
)f  J.  B.  Phnn- 
tne  manner. — 
jadfni  to  spt'ak 
1  knowledge  of 
>ean  Swift,  vx- 
lihcv  priest  or 
u)d  ahandone;! 

ire  a  bliobtinu'- 

the  wiiiifes  of 

the  mmderer 

ciety  than  tiie 

to  stinii:  it  .  *n 

possess  i- 

the  state  leii- 
t.  The  state 
that  power.— 
3  are  in  their 
jchief  ill  their 
led  to  <ret  free 
ved  tiieni  hke 
klontreal  Sem- 
d  urate  tyratits 
ve  assertors  of 
>inada,  every 
^rowlinir  thro' 
ainincr  the  ar- 
ess  may  have 
ith  of  all  the 

to  these  state  ■ 
maintain  them 
itiite  the  lunc- 


tions  of  its  high  calling,  to  the  dejjrading  alternative  of  pro- 
longing its  universally  loathed  existence,  by  a  recourse  to 
the  revolting  practice  of  corrupting  the  clergy  by  bribery; 
ought  to  be  swept  away  root  and  branch  "with  the  be- 
som  of  destruction.  Yet  such  is  the  government,  and  such 
the  constitution  of  the  hierarchy  which  the  unsuccessful 
Sons  of  Liberty  attempted  to  extirpate  from  Canada. 

The  Baptists  ot  the  Upper  Province,  however,  have 
done  immortal  honor  to  their  christian  profession.  Silver 
could  not  tempt,  nor  gold  purchase  them.  They  preferred 
poverty,  to  gold  with  pharasaical  hypocrisy.  They  spurned 
It  with  that  holy  indignation  which  become  the  followers 
of  him  who  said  "  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." 

Who  was  it  that  murdered  the  Lord  of  Glory?  Search 
your  bibles,  and  you  will  find  it  was  the  state  paid  clergy.  < 
Who  was  it  that  persecuted  the  saints  with  lire  and  faggot, 
from  Constantine's  time  to  the  present?  A  state  paid  cler- 
gy. Who  instituted  the  racking  inquisition,  to  torture 
iiien's  bodies  fur  thinking  differently  from  the  priests?  A 
state  paid  clergy.  Who  persecuted  the  pious  Scotch  Pres- 
byterians with  fire  and  sword,  burnt  their  houses,  and  laid 
waste  their  fields?  An  English  state  paid  clergy.  Who 
drove  the  Puritans  from  England  to  North-America?  A 
state  paid  clergy.  Who  have  no  bowels  of  compassion  for 
the  poor?  You  can  inquire  of  Pat  McGee  who  had  his 
only  pig  sold  to  pay  the  clergy  tythes?  Who  has  done 
the  most  mischief  in  Canada?  The  clergy  spies.  Who 
robbed  and  plundered  the  widow  of  Rathcormac^  and  mur- 
dered her  son?  'J'he  state  paid  clergy  of  Ireland.  Who 
swore  a  false  oath,  and  informed  the  Canadian  authorities 
that  Gen.  McLeod  had  declared  he  would  join  Papineou, 
and  upset  the  government  which  compelled  him  to  leave 
the  Province?  n3*Bissel,  a  reverend  state  paid  spy,  who 
ate  at  his  table,  and  freely  partook  of  the  hospitalities  of  his 
house  for  years.  Who  has  done  the  most  injury  to  vital 
religion?  A  state  paid  clertry.  Who  was  the  first  tory, 
and  who  will  be  the  last?  The  first  tory  was  Cain,  and 
the  last  will  be  the  last  state  ]3aid  priest.  Whence  did  the 
Orangemen  come?  From  Ireland.  What  is  their  creed? 
To  support  church  and  state  at  the  hazard  of  their  lives 
and  fortunes,  and  in  Canada  to  prevent  the  free  exercise  of 


I* 


:^1 


M" 


t   i 


•  \ 


•     1 


!  :, 


::  s 


■  :J 


ill 


t;  . 


'I 


248 


STATE    PAID    CLERGY. 


the  elective  frfinchise  (iiid  destroy  the  reforniers.  Who,  af- 
ter tliis,  call  impuirn  the  cause  ol'  the  sutl'erino:  Canadians, 
without  lusuUingthe  memory  of  the  lathers  of  the  Ameri- 
can revoUuioi)  of  1776,  and  the  noble  spirits  whose  patriot- 
ism earned  it  through.  Tliere  is  not  one  grievance  or  com- 
plaint  enumerated  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
which  the  Canadians,  at  the  outbreak,  did  not  suffer — and 
many  in  a  more  oppressive  form,  who  dare  deny  it  ?  Who 
so  bold  as  to  controvert  it?  i»et  them  turn  to  that  instru- 
ment and  show,  if  they  can,  one  allegation  of  their  ancestors 
against  the  tyranny  of  Great  15ritain,  that  the  Canadians 
cannot  reiterate.  The  truth  is,  that  their  list  of  grievances 
Ions:  and  black  as  it  was,  was  not  a  tythe  to  what  the  Cana- 
dians  endured.  If,  as  Van  Buren  said,  it  was  disgraceful 
and  nefarious  to  aid  them;it  was  equal) y^so  to  the  French  for 
assisting  the  Americmis.  Had  the  Americans  received  the 
sort  of  aid  from  other  nations,  which  their  officers,  civil  and 
military,  gave  the  Canadians,  it  is  likely  their  nation's  birth 
would  have  been  followed  by  its  premature  funeral. 

Mr.  Charles  BuUer,  Lord  Durham's  secretary,  asserted 
on  board  a  steamer  between  Quebec  and  Montreal,  that  the 
Canadians  were  an  injured  and  sorely  oppressed  people  and 
that  the  loyalists,  so  called,  liad  goaded  them  on  to  rebel- 
lion, that  they  had  been  treated  in  such  a  manner  that  he 
was  surprised  they  had  not  had  recourse  to  desperate  meas- 
ures much  earlier  ;  and  that  the  first  declaration  he  should 
make  in  his  place  in  the  British  Parliament,  on  his  return 
to  i^lngland,  would  be  to  that  effect.  Lord  Durham's  re-  ■ 
port  is  a  sufficient  proof  of  this. 

The  American  public,  for  several  years,  have  had  abun- 
dant evidence,  that  a  very  large  majority  of  the  people  of 
Canada  were  determined  to  submit  to  this  vassalage  no  long- 
er. They  have  groaned,  struggled,  remonstrated,  protested 
— ay,  like  slaves,  on  their  knees — begged — implored  and 
importuned,  year  after  year,  for  redress  of  their  grievances. 
But  link  has  been  added  to  link  of  the  mighty  chain  of  op- 
pression : — the  iron  has  been  driven  deeper  and  still  deeper 
into  their  souls,  until  death  became  preferable  to  farther  en- 
durance. They  tried  to  break  the  yoke,  but  failed.  The 
causes  of  that  failure  are  well  known.     They  had  the  nieu 


AFFAIR   AT    NAPIERVILLE. 


249 


buttlipy  lacked  competent  leaders,  arms,  munitions; — almost 
every  thing  to  make  a  revolution  successful.  The  very  Tact 
that  tlu'V  entered  into  a  contest  with  such  a  power,  in  such  a 
condition,  shows  the  desperation  to  which  they  were  driven. — 
Though  defeated,  they  wiii  yet  rally,  better  organised — better 
equipped,  and  more  certain  of  success. 

About  the  last  of  October  and  first  of  November,  the  Patri- 
I ot  leaders  having  a[)prised  their  friends  in  the  different  parishes  of 
the  Lower  Province,  assembled  at  Napierville,  to  the  number 
(if  600,  under  the  ciimmand  of  Dr.  Robert  Nelson,  and  were 
actively  preparing  for  a  descent  upon  Montreal,  with  every 
appearance  of  success.  At  tiiis  time  the  British  were  at  a  loss 
iiow  to  act.  They  knew  the  country  all  round  was  hostile  and 
\iw.  peo|)h:  betaking  themselves  to  arms  to  join  Nelson.  The 
militia,  excepting  the  tories,  refused  to  turn  out.  They  dare 
not  inarch  from  Laf)rarie  to  St.  Johns,  to  attack  Nelson  wiih- 
out  a  strong  co-operating  force  in  his  rear.  This  coukl  not  be 
performed,  but  by  water.  The  Englis(!  had  no  vesi:els  of  their 
lown,  and  without  the  aid  of  some  American  boat,  they  could 
not  accomplish  their  purpose.  But,  unfortunately  for  Cana- 
dian freedom,  an  American  citizen,  (if  it  bo  not  a  sin  to  call 
him  so,)  Capt.  Slierman  of  tiie  Steamboat  Burlington,  relieved 
iheir  despairing  anxiety,  protfered  his  Jiid,  under  the  protection 
M'the  American  flag,  to  assist  in  suppressing  the  rising  spirit 
of  Canadian  liberly,  bv  transportinc!:  eii?;ht  hundred  regulars. 
mith  artillery,  to  attack  them  in  the  rear,  which  was  easily  ef- 
fected. Thus  flien  was  one  of  the  most  promising  of  all  the 
Cfinadian  elForts  for  independence,  t^uslratcd  by  a  dt-':5cendent 
if  he  is  one,)  of  those  illustrious  heroes  who  shed  their  blood 
ill  the  revolution  to  free  their  sullering  country  iVom  British 
oppression.  This  was  not  the  kind  of  aid  Layfayette  gav<j 
Washington  in  the  dark  and  dismal  days  *'that  tried  men's 
souls."  However,  we  are  bold  to  adirm  there  is  no!,  pehaps, 
another  individual  in  the  United  States,  except  those  in  British 
pay  and  confidence,  who  would  have  aided  the  cruel  oppressor, 
against  the  oppressed.  At  the  very  time  this  infamous  trans- 
action occurred,  the  inhabitants  of  the  lake  of  the  Two  Moun- 
;ains,  Beauharnois,  Belisle,  Chambly  and  many  other  places 
were  on  their  march,  unarmed  as  they  were,  to  join  Nelson  at 
Napierville.  J n  consequence  of  Sherman's  treacherous  con- 
duct, the  Patriots  were  compelled  to  fall  back  on  Odletown, 
where  the  British  troops,  whom  he  landed  in  their  rear,  attack- 
cd  them.  After  maintaining  their  ground  for  some  time,  with 
21* 


t' 


'  ti 


•  i 


\i    : 


!iP 


?5v1 


THE  BURNINGS   BY  THE 


Mie  grer.tcF^l  gallnntrv,  against  the  superior  numhors  of  their 
botter  fliscipliiied  enemy,  th(3y  were  forced,  nftcr  sustaining 
considf  rablf^  loss  in  killed  and  \vounde(i,  to  retre.il  across  the 
lines.  Sir  John  Colborne  with  a  second  army  advanced  and 
look  immediate  possession  of  Napierville,  treated  the  Patriots 
who  fell  into  his  hands  with  unprecedented  crueltv.  700  of 
t!ie  uniViriunatc  men,  wiio  were  on  their  way  from  dillent  pails 
lo  join  ti)t  ir  counti  ymen  in  arms,  were  ap[)r(ljended,  chaineii 
and  inipri;-(jn('d  in  Motitreaj  dungeons.  Colborne  prociaimcui 
mait  d  i.'iu;  issued  an  order  lo  convene  a  Court  of  murderers, 
and  ciioined  its  members  to  give  sentence  ^Uicc  rdiiiir  to  mar- 
iialli-.H'  and  the  rules  of  military  di<-icipline.''  Miiny  good 
and  true  heartcul  Canadians  were  sent  to  elernity  l)V  ti)is  com" 
of  sci.ii'l  murderers.  In  the  gallant  Dr.  Cote's  splendid  house 
in  N;ip!erville  ihe  British  red  coats  found  the  portraits  of  Wash- 
ir't-flOM,  .lelferson,  John  Adams,  Lafayette,  A.  llandllon,  i'hu. 
.lacks'M),  and  some  other  great  men  of  American  birlli.  Sir 
John  oidrred  thini  to  be  burnt,  exclaiming  amid  the  groans 
and  h.^SL'.s  of  the  vokmteers,  "so  perish  all  traitors."  Such  be- 1 
ing  tiio  treatmi?nl,  tiie  nmtc  representatives  of  the  most  emi- 
nent ;ii\l  distinguished  characters  diat  ever  trode  on  this  foot- 
1.1 

.stool,  i('C'eiv(>d  from  the  British  tories  of  Canada.  Cannot  the 
American  citizen  read  in  it,  his  own  and  his  country's  fale 
shoukl  llio  British  ever  succeed  against  them  by  their  gold  and 
intrig'i  's. 

On  'lie  11th  of  Nov.  the  whole  of  the  back  country  above 
La)ii:irie,  according  to  the  Montreal  [Jeraid,  "presented  the 
nwt'u!  spectacle  of  one  vast  sheet  of  livid  flame;  not  a  singli  J 
rebel  h.ouse  has  been  left  standing."  The  Herald  further  adds: 
•*God  only  knows  what  is  to  become  of  the  surviving  Canadi- 
ans, tlieir  wives  and  families,  during  the  ap[)roaching  winter. 
as  nothing  but  starvation  from  hunger  and  cold  stares  them  iii 
the  face.  The  history  of  the  past  proves  that  nothing  but 
sweeping  them  from  the  earth,  and  laying  their  habitations 
level  V,  iih  the  dust,  will  prevent  renewed  reb;dlions,  south  ot 
the  St.  Lawrence.  The  Canadians  in  the  r(d)ellious  districts, 
whose  houses  have  been  given  to  ti.e  flames,  and  who  have  es- 
caped t!ie  bullet,  the  bayonet,  or  the  prison,  are  doomed  to  per- 
ish in  the  woods.''  Col.  Angus  McLonell  writes  to  Bishop 
McDonell,  from  Beauharnois,  Nov.  19th: — "We  proceeded 
toward  Beauharnois  by  a  forced  march,  burning  and  laying 
waste  the  country  as  we  went  along;  and  it  was  a  most  distress-  1 
ing  and  heart  rending  scene,  to  see  this  fine  settlement  so  com- 


SOLDKRS  AND  TORTKS. 


251 


mbors  of  thoi 


plctely  desfroyou,  the  fiouses  burntjij  and  Inid  in  ashes,  and  I 
understand  the  wliole  country  to  St.  Charles,  experienced  the 
same  fate.  The  wailing  and  lamentation  of  the  wonnen  and 
children,  on  beholding  their  houses  in  ilini^s  and  their  proper 
!y  destroyed — their  husbands,  fatliers,  sons  and  rtdations,  drag- 
f^v.(\  along  prisoners — women  perishing  in  the  snow,  small  chil- 
dren frozen  stiff  by  their  side,  or  setutered  in  bhick  spots  on 
the  snow — half  grown  children  running  frantic  in  the  woods, 
frightened  at  the  sight  of  friend  or  foe — and  such  of  iho  hahi- 
tans  as  did  not  appear,  their  houses  were  consigned  to  the 
jlames,  as  they  were  supposed  to  be  at  the  rebel  cump. ''  One 
of  these  ill  fated  habitans  had,  the  day  pievioue,  gone  on  some 
business  to  Montreal;  on  returning  liomo  he  found  his  house 
burnt  to  ashep,  and  his  wif«  and  child  missinsj.  in  the  frenzv 
of  the  mf)infU)t,  lu>  ran  to  an  officer  exclainiinc: — "Ah!  vou 
burn  my  housi',  kill  my  wife — mon  chore  femnu',  mon  petite 
enfant — me  Jilways  good  subject — no  rebel,  sacre  Anglais — 
damn  IJriti^li — where  ma  femme — where  mon  entanl]  Oh  Je- 
su  Marie;"  ami  dropped  senseless,  for  a  few  minutes, at  the  of- 
ficer's feet— -he  recovered  ravingly  distracted.  The  monster 
ordered  him  to  be  tied,  and  sent  a  prisoner  to-  Montreal, 
where  he  kept  continually  calling  on  his  wife  and  child  to  come 
to  him.  In  a  H  w  days  death  put  an  end  to  his  troubles.  He 
died  cursing  the  authors  of  his  misfortunes  to  the  last  moment. 
His  wile  who  it  appears  had  gone  to  a  relative's  upon  hearing 
that  ho  was  sent  a  prisoner  to  Montreal^  she  with  her  child 
ill  her  arms,  proceeded  on  foot,  and  arrived  at  the  prison  door 
the  evening  before  he  died,  but  the  cruel  monsters  would  not 
permit  her  to  see  him,  until  he  was  no  more.  The  loss  of  her 
l)roperty,  the  fatigues  of  the  journey,  and  the  death  of  her  hus- 
band were  too  much — she  lingered  for  a  i'cw  days  and  followed 
iiim  where  tyrants  cease  to  trouble,  leaving  a  male  child  to 
revenge  their  deaths. 

The  Patriots  of  the  Lower  Province  having  been  cefeated, 
tire,  sword  and  rapine  murked  the  track  of  the  unsparing  con- 
querors. The  Canadians  attempted  to  give  their  country  what 
the  heroes  of  76  gained  for  theirs— but  some  of  the  American 
presses  maintained  that  their  grievances,  were  not  such  as  to 
warrant  a  revolt.  Van  Biiren  execrated  them,  and  they  were 
hung— hung  as  rebels  and  brigands  by  the  same  power  that 
tried  to  crush  the  revolutionary  heroes.  1  he  sons  of  liberty 
were  shot,  like  dogs  by  martial  law  in  the  roads  or  reserved 
for  a  more  cold  blooded  sacrifice-The  troops  who  were  incii- 


■#■ 


1 


11 


M':"' 


iiM, 


252 


MOTIVES   THAT    ACTUATES 


1^ 


iiliir^' 


fii 


■-,,■* 


ned  to  desert,  were  suHered  to  commit  every  excess,  to  attach 
them  to  the  government.  Maidens  were  violated  and  8onie  (it 
can  be  proved)  liave  died  of  treatment  horrible  enough  to  freezo 
the  soul. 

Tlie  devastated  portion  of  the  district  of  Montreal  presented 
a  most  liideous  spectacle.  Tlio  woods  were  peopled  with 
crowds  of  human  beings,  whom  hunger  and  cold  were  horribly 
destroying.  Sir  John  Colborne,  ai'tcr  burning  their  houses  to 
ashes, sent  emissaries  among  them  to  order  liiein  to  their  homes. 
But  where  were  their  homes?  As  soon  as  these  wanderers 
perceived  a  human  being  lliev  buried  themselves  in  the  forests 
and  disappeared  under  the  impression  that  they  bel<  nged  to  iIk) 
Volunt(;ers  who  plundered  them  of  all  they  possessed.  All  these 
enormities,  have  generated  a  spirit  of  revenge  among  the  Ca- 
nadians which,  although  at  present  apparently  stifled, will  herc- 
aitcr  nianif.'st  itscdf  in  dreadful  retaliation.  The  time  vviilcome 
when  the  Canadian  tories  will, in  their  turn,  a.^k  mercy  of  those 
to  whom  they  have  sh(»wn  none.  It  is  coming  as  suk?  as  there 
ii  a  God  in  heaven.  A  house  divided  agaitust  its(;if  can- 
not stand!  It  is  impossible.  Will  the  Canadians  ever  forgot 
llieir  slaughtered  brethren,  their  burnt  churches,  their  desola- 
ted towns,  deserted  farms  tSic?  Never,  [t  is  true  appearan- 
ces at  present  are  rather  rgainst  them.  Their  country  is  fill- 
ed with  armed  men  and  brisiling  with  bayonets,  and  wIkUIn 
worse,  two  thirds  of  the  American  press  backing  them  up! — 
Notwithstanding,  we  affirm,  that  theso  arc  links  in  the  grea' 
chain  of  events,  which  will  ultimately  hasten  on  the  birth  da\ 
of  Canadian  independence. 

As  nf)t  unfreqiumt  in  such  cases,  their  first  efForts  for  free- 
dom proved  disastrous.  How  could  it  bet  otherwise?  Imper- 
fectly organised,  imperfectly  armed,  and  cut  ofl*  from  all  suc- 
cor; victory  to  the  Patriots  \v;!s  nearly  impossible.  Yet  tlu' 
chivalrous  band  which  dared  oppose  itself  to  a  disciplined  army 
of  more  than  three  times  its  numbers,  and  possessing  still  great- 
er advantages  in  the  material  of  war  must  command  the  admi- 
ration due  to  intrepid  valor,  if  history  prove  faithful,  justice 
will  be  done  by  posterity  to  the  memory  of  those  noble  assert- 
ors  of  liberty;  the  forlorn  hope  of  a  forlorn  people,  resolved  to 
be  free.  An  investigation  of  the  prudence  or  imprudence  of 
the  outbreak  in  Canada,  belongs  solely  to  themselves.  The 
consideration  whether  if  successful,  it  would  produce  good  or 
evil,  is  exclusively  theirs.  There  is  but  one  point,  in  which  it 
can  be  legitimately  viewed  by   those  not  immediately  involved 


TIIK    CANAHIAN    PATRIOT, 


253 


jss,  to  attach 
and  some  Cit 
ugh  to  freezo 

Dal  pre  son  led 
njopled  wiili 
vere  horribly 
leir  houses  to 
I  their  homes, 
se  wanderers 
in  the  forests 
;l<  nged  to  llio 
;cd.  All  these 
mong  the  Cti- 
!od,\vili  here- 
imo  will  come 
lorcy  of  those 

sur(,*  us  there 
<t  itself  caii- 
3  ever  forgo*. 

their  desola- 
uo  appearau- 

Duntry  is  fill- 
;ukI   w hut  is 

>:  them  U[)! — 
in  the  grea', 

the  birth  da\ 


in  the  consf  qurncrs:  that  is,  linve  tlio  people  of  Cannda  a  right 
to  assume  sclf-govenmienf,  v\  heiicver  they  deem  themselves 
capahle  to  exercise  and  maiiitnin  it.  With  these  calculations 
or  miscalculations,  otht^rs  have  nothing  to  do.  A  denial  of  this 
principle  would  be  a  vital  arraignment  of  the  motives  of  Wash- 
ington, Franklin,  Hancock,  Jeflerson,  f.afayelle,  Montgomery 
Jnckson,  and  other  stiges,  soldier;^  and  statesmen  of  the  f\mer- 
can  Revolution.  It  would  bo  a  bestrewment  or.Uic'graves  of  tho 
departed  great  with  contumely  and  reproach;  a  direction  of  the 
finger  r)f  scorn  toward  tie  few  survivors  of  the  immortal  band 
who  yet  linger  in  a  land  they  saved  byjlheir  firmness  and  moist 
died  bv  their  blood. 


\     ! 


>rts  for  free- 
ise?  Imper- 
from  all  sue- 
)lo.  Yet  tlu' 
iiplined  araiy 
ng  still  great- 
md  the  admi- 
ithful,  justice 
noble  assert- 
iy  resolved  to 
nprudence  o' 
selves.  Tho 
duce  good  or 
t,  in  which  it 
tely  involved 


!f 


■. 

1 

1 

i:    > 

\H 

ipl' 


II' 


|!'. 


i 


l^-: 


1 


m 


' 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Attack  on  Proscott. 


Since  the  execution  of  Mathews,  Lount,  MereaU,  and  the 
'wholesaltj  banishment  of  the  unfortunnte  asserfers  of  Canadimi 
liberty,  tlic  patriots  on  the  confineH  of  the  U|)])er  Pruvincn 
were  making  fivery  possible  exertion  to  ma  lie  one  more  elFoir 
to  free  their  country  from  the  sway  of  the  ruthless  .scOvMgcs 
wlio  were  consigning  their  (riends  and  relatives  to  the  scatkld. 
The  feelings  and  sympathy  of  the  American  people  on  the  liiivs 
became,  in  consequence  of  these  cruelties,  deeply  enlisted  in 
the  patriot  cause;  and  citizens  of  high  standing  volunteered 
their  services  to  aid  the  Canadians. 

At  a  Convention  of  exiles,   held  the  16th  of  Sept.  at , 

Gen.  L.  V.  Bierce  was  unanimously  elected  Commander-in- 
chief  of  the  Patriot  army  of  Upper  Canada, and  entered  immedi- 
ately on  the  duties  of  his  office.  While  engaged  in  concentra- 
ting his  forces,  and  making  other  necessary  preparation  for 
an  active  winler^'s  compaign,  he  received  a  communication  from 
N.  Von  Shultz,  of  New-York,  tendering  his  services  with  a 
company  of  Polish  exiles.  This  oflfer  was  readily  accepted, 
and  an  answer  returned,  with  instructions  to  join  the  Western 
Division.  On  the  receipt  of  this  letter  the  gallant  Pole  collect- 
ed his  men,  and  started  with  them  to  join  the  General. 

At  this  time,  a  Mr.  Birge,  of  Cazenovia,  without  the  know- 
ledge or  approval  of  Gen.  Bierce,  raised  a  party  to  attack 
Prescolt;  announcing  himself  commander  in-chief  of  the  East- 
ern division;  prevailed  upon  Von  Shultz,  Woodruff,  and  Ab- 
bey to  join  him,  under  the  pretext  that  the  possession  of  Fort 
Wellington  would  give  them  the  complete  control  of  Upper 
Canada.  Unfortunately  for  them  and  the  cause,  they  consent- 
ed; and  this,  unintentionally  on  the  part  of  those  ill-fated  scen- 
tlemen,  gave  a  death-blow  to  the  successful  execution  of  Gen. 
Bierce's  more  matured  plans  for  carrying  on  the  campaign  in 
the  west.  Had  Gen.  Birge  had  the  welfare  of  the  patriot  cause 
at  heart,  instead  of  assuming  a  separate  command,  and  divert- 
ing Von  Shultz  and  lus  party  from  their  original  destination, 
he   would  have  apprised   Gen.  Bierce,  and  inquired  whether 


such  0 
liiin  o 
i|iienc( 
Ml  rod  I 
itiidin 

ist  ii 

ciMten 

Abe 

army 

\mU  t 

On 
I)  l;inc 
end  of 
b"  k'd 
:iy  Cc 
right  ' 
l}i'lwe( 

>ilOLlld 

jiosed 
m  t!i 
and  bi 
b  cou 
iileaiy 
This  n 
and  ti 
^unisc 
aJdod, 

WHS  It 

sliore, 
board 
excel I 
Euste 
creasi 
of  ihi: 
ileclar 
th'j  le 
ing  \vi 
81uiliz 
drod  a 
einbar 
taininj 
Dui 
<iuiet 


r 


ATTACK   ON    FllESCOTT. 


2oS 


Icjreau,  and  the 
3rs  of  Canndiuu 
'|)])er  l*ruvinc(i 
one  inor<;j  elFoir 

tllk'SS  SCO.M'gCS 

to  the  senile,  1(1. 
)|)le  on  the  liiivH 
epiy  enlisted  in 
ng  volunteered 

f  Sept.  at , 

Comnfianrler- in- 
entered  inimedi- 
fid  in  concentra- 


siich  a  dcmonJitrutioii  vvoulij  operato  for  or  against  tlio  general 
jiliin  of  operations.  In  lieu  thereof,  and  n^gardl.'.ss  of  conse- 
,[iienceH,  he  hurried  on  hi,-?  hravo  meit,  if  not  to  willful,  y-?t  as- 
suredly to  certain  destruction.  He  eould  not  have  mado  a 
; Hilling  in  a  mon)  unfivorMble  section  of  the  Province.  The 
liist  intimation  that  Gen.  liierce  hud  of  the  existence  of  this 
cuitcniplated  e.\pedition,  was  iis  dclV'ut. 

About  the  (irst  of  N.ivenihcn'.  (ieij.  Hirge  and  his  (ralhuU 
iiMTiy  embarUed  at  Oswego,  on  hoard  the  Lnrtcd  Stales  steam 
\mU  f'>  pi^'l  Ills  p'"-'i  "^^'^  (execution. 

Oa  llie  passage   downwurd-i,  Vo!i  Sbidlz  proposed  in  council 
I,  jiind  the  rniMi   at  <»neo  on   McPherson's   wharf,  at  ihe   upper 
fiid  of  Prescott:  divide  them  in  three  hodie-j  the  mnin  body  to 
li..>  l(.'d  hv  liirnsidl' through  the  center  of  th(?  town:  tlie  lol'l  witiir 
liy  Col.    VVoodruii*   round  the  north  side;  and  Cr.].  A\)\)r.v  thl^ 
right  wing  ori  tiie  south  or   river  side;  th  -sf^  divisions  to  unite 
k'tsveen   the    fort  and    the   town;   from  thence  altnck  tiu?  fort, 
>hoLdd  the  few  soldicirs  in   it  ollbr  resisianc  ••     l!e  furtlu-r  pro- 
jwsed  to  station  the  steani  boat  and  schoonors  on   tin;  river  be- 
low the  fort,  ti  preserve  a   comniunicatiou   with  Ogdenshurgh, 
and  bring  across  provisions,  ntnmunition  and  volunt!;ers.   Tlius 
preparation  lorjjj^^ij^lj  [,;^y(^  tj„.  i;,..(^  ti,,.  town,  and  the  riv(;r  at  his  conuiiand^ 
munication  |'"0"^l|,!e(itv  of  artilierv,    with  what  might  be   found  in    Oao  fortress, 
services  with  a|-j<,^jg-j^Qljl^j   h,;ro  fell  confident  he   could   keep   the  British  boats 
2aaily  ^<i^'^P^^"'Jiincl  troops  at  bay,  until  his  swelled  into  an  efiective,  well  or- 
3in  the  ***^yt'"'«ff;,nised  army,    fit   for  more  exiendftd  operations.      Me  further 
ml  1  o  e  collect- Jjj^^j^  .^^  .^^^   induccir.ent  to   the  adoption  of   this  plan,  that  he 
eneral.  ■^^..j^  fearful  if  the  men  were  aiijain  landed  on  the  United  States' 

nout  the  ^"^^^'l^lioi-e^  in  order  to  gMt  an  acquisition  to  their  tuimbers,  those  on 
party  to  «^iJi^^'^ii)o;ird  would  leave  ongelling  a  n(?arer  view  of  Canada.     These 
let  ^1.^      ,  jjf^'lexcellent  plans   were  opposed  and   rejected  bv  Go.n.  Birge  and 
odrutr,  and  Ab- jj^^^j^^^^      ,j,,^^,^^  insisted  on  larding  first  at  Ogdensburgh,and  in- 
isession  ot  tor   Ic1.yjj5.jjjg  ^ij^^jp  number  as  much  as  possible.     Tlie  consequence 
mtrol  ot    Up[)s?r  |,,j-^^^j^  ^^^  .^^  y^^^^  SImltz  loresaw.      Gen.  Birge,  on  landing,^ 
3,  they  cojison  "iiie(,|j^jP^fj  himself  sick  acd  unable  to  cross  over.     The  sickness  of 
se  i'i;'ated  gen.|j^^l^^^^^^  infected  most  of  his  f  Mowers,  and  instead  of  cross- 
kecution  01  <jen.|j^^^^^.^l^  ^^^^^^  thousand  men,  as  might  have  been  done  had  Von 
he  campaign  »'i|s5i;'^j|j,^^  been   permitted  to  execute   his  own  plans,  but  one  hun- 
P^^""'^^  !:'*"^^|iiicd  and  eighty-  landod  at  the  Wind  Mill  point,  and  these  were 
!^  "^j"'  ^"  .    '^.*^' 'Icinbarrassed  by  one  of  the  schooners    running  aground,  con- 
ma!  ^^^^'"^^'^'"'Itaining  their  artillery,  arms,  and  ammunition, 
iquired  whetnei*   j^^^.^^  ^^^  ^^j^^,^  ^^  Monday,  the  12th  November,  they  held 

jiuiet  possession  of  that  part  of  Upper  Canada,  and  until  8 


1,1 


f      V 


i  I 


1^  i'  l| 


i:i> 


V 


IS'-. 


'f* , 


256 


ATTACK    ON    PllKSCOTT. 


o'clock  noxi  niormng,  whon  tiu;  ularii)  was  given,  **'riHi  red 
coals  arc  (;nmiiig!"  \^"m  Sluiltz  stiirtid  alwad,  and  called  on 
h is  men  to  follow  iiiru,  whicli  cotninatid  was  cluH'rrnlly  o!)cvrnl. 
Tli(5  Ikitislj,  in  llic  iiuian  tiino,  inadi?  a  circuitous  routo  tlirn' 
t.ho  woods,  au(]  (Jijploycd  into  line  in  a  jilowc^d  li(dd,  where  ttioy 


made  a  stand,  and  Cinnuienced  lirinus  whicij  iho  patriots  rtitiirn- 
(id  with  deadly  elKuit.  'I'he  I'iiiglish  made  several  alf(  inpfs  at 
their  favorite  ciii'.rge,  hut  were  as  oUeii  repulsed.  '['JK-y  a;. 
tempted  to  gain  the  shelter  of  the  buildincs,  hut  were  driven 
from  these  with  great  loss.  They  now  took  possession  of  a 
harn,  hut  a  party  of  the  patri')ts  went  up  in  the  verv  l*ncr»  di' 
their  fire,  hurut  the  l):irn,and  compelhul  them  to  r(^tir;it.  Aftii' 
three  (piarlers  of  an  hour  hanJ  fii;htin«;,  lh(}  Dritish  retrealiul, 
leaving  the  patriots  masters  of  the  field. 

At  the  comrn'Mioement  of  this  day's  action,  the  liritish,  bv 
their  own  ollicial  aeeount,  were  five  hundred  r(!,^ulars  and  mil. 
itia.  The  patriots  h;ul  l)ar(dy  one.  hundred  an;l  sixty  fightiti:' 
men.  The  [)ritis!j  loss  this  day,  as  sworn  to  at  the  court,  in;u'- 
tiul  whicn  tri(id  the  prisoners,  at  Ki:iii;s!on,  amounted  to  one 
liundred  and  eightv  two  killed,  besides  the  wounded.  Tlie  pa- 
Iriits  had  seven  killed,  and  some;  wound(\I. 


Ti 


ley  iTJiglU  now  have    pas.- 


i'Ai    over   to  th(^  American    short 


unmolested,  hut  thev  |;r(derered  holdiiicr  out  as  lour' as  possih 
to  give  the  Canadians  an  oprjortunity  to  join  tiiem,  hdieviuf^  M'- 


the    American  shore  v.  ;is  lined  with  so'CtUors,   th(>v  woal; 


no! 


see  tiiom  at  a  loss  either  for  men  or  ammunition,  without  inik 
ing  some  t'lT!)rt  to  rcdieve  them.      Hundreds  of  their  comrade; 
and  their  sick  Gkxah  \l,  remained  at  Ogdensbur'_jh,  idle  spnc-' 
tators  of  their  fate.      Wlien  Von  Shuliz   reMected  that  his  com 
inef  and    so  many    of   his   sworn   conjpanions  lia( 


manner  in-c 


abandoned  him,  and  that  the  Canadians  were;  unable  to  joii; 
him,  and  that  tiie  Orange  militia  were  their  sworn  mortal  eno 
mies,  he  fidt    inclined    to    give   up  the  contest,   could  he  hnvr 


done    it  with   bono: 


But 


said  he 


'we  cannot 


whi 


e  W(^  are 


able  to  fight,    leave  the  wounded  to  be   massacred,  without  dis-, 
S 


race 


At  this  time  ifn;   Paul  I^'v  steam   boat  arrived.     Von  Shullz 


oro 


ordered   the  wounded  lo  be  embarked   immediately;  but  bef' 
(his  could  be  accom;jlished,    the  Britisli   opened    a  tremendous? 
fire;  the  men  were  ordered  to  tlieir  posts;  the  Paul  [*ry  left  amlj 
returned  no  more. 

Col.  Worth,    with  the  U.  S.   infantry,  and  the   neutrd  Inwj 
marshals,  would  not  pernnit  man  or  boat  to  go  to  their  relief.' 


ATTACK    ON    PIIKSCOTT. 


257 


en,  **'rh';  red 
and  Ciillcd  on 
•rrully  «)!)oy(nl. 
)ns  vnwU)  llirn' 
I.I,  wIhm'c  thoy 
)t\tri()('<  rtM'.ini- 
ral  MitriDpts  at 
sod.     Tiioy  111- 

lilt  \V(M'(!  (IrivfMi 
(osrti'ssiori  of  a 
n  voi'v  Cnci'  of 
»  rotrcaf.  Al'li'i' 
iiisli    rt;lr('!iliM!, 

tlio  Pifitish,  bv 
.■njnlat's  and  mil- 
d  sixtv  li.^litin:' 
,  tlie  <*()iir!.  innr- 
iiiiouiittMl  [o  op.e 

Md(.'d.       TlK^  I'H- 

uncricari   sliorc 

oiij-r  as  j)o^-;i')!" 

in,  b!.'li(:vil^^;l^• 

they  wonld  nn! 

n,  without  inak- 

ihoir  comr!l(.If'^'. 

nr'.:h,  idio  spoc- 

)d  that  Ins  copi- 

::on^.pat)ions  had 

unal)!o  to  join 

'orri  ivioi'tril  eno- 

,  could  lie  h;ivo 

)r,  while  wi^  nro  | 

ed,  without  c'is- 

VoM  Shultz 
tely;  but  befon;'! 
d    a  trLMTiendoiis 
aul  Pi-y  left  am! I 


lie  ll»i."«  dav  Hoi/.od  lludr  sciiooiior.s,  coin 


munilioris,  and   .stores.      Tim  lujart  sicl> 


lining  their  artilh.M  v 


ihis  brivi:  bami  uf  patriots,  cut  olF  iVonj  all  I 


mis   while  ruflocting  on 


»n>n an  an 


I. 


riio  Uriti.h,  finding,'  tlxMnsrlvcs  so  roughly  handled,  on 
TiKsday,  an  i  .scoint?  liit.y  could  make  no  impression  on  the 
natriol  lities,  sent  to  Kinglon  for  helj). 

On  VVodni'sday,   there   was  but   liitl.>  (irint^.     On  Thursday, 
taiu-c   was    soino    sharp    skirinishin,<:.     At   10   o'clock,   Friday 
niDrniug,  the  British  nristctred   i'lvr.  thousand  regular.s  and  inili- 
tiatnon;   two  large  gun  boats;  seven  stf;ain  b  )ats,  each  ofthenA 
urni'jd  with  heavy  cmnon,  mortars,  rockets,  carcasses,  and  ev- 
ery kind  of  warlike   projectiles.     To  oppose  tiiis  niiirhly  host, 
iho  li«n  hearted    patriots    had   only   one    hundr(;d  and  lifty  two 
men  ablo  to  b^ar  arms,  they  had  some  artillery,  but  no  ammu- 
nition to  serve   thorn.      Col.  \V^)rth  took  it  from  ihcm  by  virtue 
of  the   neuia-.il  laws,  on  t!ie  Thursday  [jrevi aus.     At  n'o'cJocU 
t\v)  Britisli  s(;nt   a  ilxs;  of  truce   to  Von  Shultz,    requcstiir.,'  hiin 
to  surrcniler.      V^)a  Shulfz  asked,   in  what  character?     The  n;. 
ply  was,  '*As   reb.ds.''     "Nl-vm-,"''  an swonid  t'm  svliolc-s ouIo  I 

It 


lu;ro. 


ii 


ore 


r   dviu2   \vi„ a  o; 


aran   la  a  ir 


hand 


>3 


WIS,  howvjver,  ajjreefj  that  the  kdlsl  of  Tiuirs  !  i  v  s'aoal  1  ba  ra- 
aievcd  before  ['\  ;  rec  am  njucemeit  of  iiosfiliiia  ;. 

At  ri  o'clo,.-!v,  !'.  Af.  signals  W(!re  oiide  to  tli-j  Hritisli  arma- 
da on  the  rivt'r  to  ;ip;)roieli  within  r  iir.^.'  of  tlia  win  I  mill.— 
Tii3se,  witlj  ta  )  live  ihousmd  tro)ps  oa  land,  simalianj  oa-ik 
(ijj'jned  a  tr^joi  ;ndou.s  fire  on  the  devoted  Tlieli  in  haul  ofpal- 
riots,  making  a  terrible  din,  but  little  exeeution.  Von  Sii  il'/. 
Ivad   nothing  to  depend    upon    but   his   saiall  arm-j,  the  artillery 


0.1, 


bjing  useless  Toe  want  of  powder.     However,  nothing  daunt 
t'aey  kept    up   an  unceasing,    wcdl-aimed    fire,    for  tiiree   long 
hours,  repulsing  witii  deadly  eirect  every  attempt  at  a  chargi?. 
A  little  after  dirk,  for  want  of  ammunition,   fifty  of  the  brave 
lads  were    compelled    t-)  surrender.     Yet   those  who  had  car- 
tridges still  kept  the  din  of  battle  raging;  not  a  soul  surrender- 
eJ  until  he  expended    his  last   shot.      At  midnight,  all  but  their 
heroic    commander    v/ere    taken.     He   took  possession  of   the 
stone  house    alone,    and    fired    so    ince.rsanlly  tfjat  the  enemy 
thought  it  was   full  ol'  patriots.      At  length  they  rushed  in,  and 
liG  jumped  iii  their  midst.     Tliey  instantly  pounced  upon  him, 
like  a  pack  of  blood  hounds;  tore   the  clothes  from  his  back; 
robbed   him  of  his  hat,  watch  and  vest.     Thus  terminated  the 
most  extraordinary  engagement  that   av^r  took   place   on  th« 


the  neutrd  lawj    continent  of  North-America 


to  their  relieHI 


i«t- 


i' 


22 


b'.--,'  I 


258 


ATTACK    ON    PRESCOTT. 


Ine  British  engaged,  including  those  in  the  gun  boots  and 
steam  boats  were  forty  to  one  patriot  In  this  memorable  ac. 
tion  the  British  lost  268  killed,  as  sworn  to,  as  above  stated, 
besides  the  wounded.  The  patriots  had  eight  killed  and  a  Ctiw 
wounded.  British  total  killed  from  Tuesday  morning  untiij 
Friday  night,  four  hundred  and  fifty,  besides  the  wounded. 
Patriot  loss,  during  the  same  time,  fifteen  killed,  besides  the 
wounded. 

Tlie  English  boast  much  of  their  superior  skill  in  the  art  of 
warfare.  If  the  patriots,  at  the  Wind  Mill,  have  not  taught 
them  a  lesson  of  yankee  sharp  siiooting,  they  may  rest  assured, 
in  the  event  of  a  war  with  the  United  Stales,  of  experiencing 
such  genuine  specimens  of  republican  tactics,  as  will  agniu 
extort  Gen.  Rial  s  exclamation    at  the  battle  of  Chippewa,  in 

1814,  *'I) N  THEM,  HOW  DELIBERATELY  THEY  NIP  Us!"  As 

to  their  vaunted  prowess  on  the  charge,  it  is  all  a  farce  !     VVc 
will  hero  subjoin   the  renowned  Orange  Colonel,  Gowan's  re- 
port of  the  battle  of  Tuesday,  as  a  superb  sample  of  their  invin- 
cibility on  the  charge.     These  nrr.  his    words  from  his   own 
newspaper,   the  Statesman;   "As  the  h-ft  wing  advanced,  tho 
fire  of  th;j  enemy  was  so  very  galling,  that  Col.  Frazer,  seeing 
so  many  of  tiie  brave  marines,  and  their  gallant  companions  ot' 
the  83d  falling,  ordered  the  whole  to  charge.     As  we  advancfid 
many  of  our  gallant    men  t'ell,   among   whom  was    the  bravo 
Lieut.  Johnson,    of   the  83d.     The  ruffians  were  so  securely 
planted  behind  the  stone  fences,  that  thoy  stood  the  charge  to 
the  last  mo.nent.     Col.  Gowan  received  the  bayonet  of  one  of 
the  brigands  in  the  left  hip,  at  the  moment  they  forced  him  and 
his  men    to  retreat!!!"     What  think    you   now  of  the  British 
charge?     Only   consider  one  hundred  and   sixty  undisciplined 
patriots  repulsing  the  charge  of  fifteen  hundred  British  !     This 
account  may  appear  ridiculously  exaggerated,  to  the  intelligent 
reader;  but   let  it  b^    remembered,    it  is  the  redoubtable  Col. 
Gowan's  report    verbatim — who,  by  his  own   honest  acknow- 
ledgement, preferred  turning  his  hack,   and  receiving  a  wound 
in  his  posteriors,  (which  in   his  newspaper  he  called  his  hip,) 
rather  than  stand  his  ground,  and  receive  it  like  a  man,  in  his 
front !!!     If  a  handful  of  raw  patriots,   jumbled  together  by  tho 
accident  of  a    moment,  are  capable   of  such  gallantry,    what 
may  not  the  British  expect  when  they  come  in  contact  with  the 
U.  S.  troops? — who,  if  as    well  drilled  and  disciplined  as  tliose 
stationed  at  Cleveland,  wo  may   safely  affirm  are  a  match  for 
the  English  regulars,  man  to  man,  at  least,  any  where,  wheth- 


ATTACK   ON    PRESCOTT. 


259 


of  the  British 


cr  under  cover  in  the  woods,  or  in  tl»e  open  field,  as  Chippewa 
and  Lundy's  Lane  can  testify. 

The  patriots,  having  expended  thcirj  Inst^  shot,  surrendered 
at  midnight.  The  Canadian  Orange  niilitia' behaved  with  the 
same  brutal  malignity  which  lias  always  characterised  them, 
when  a  prisoner  has  been  in  their  power.  They  are  composed 
almost  altogether  of  the  lowest  dregs  of  Irish  Orangemer. 
The  brave  patriots,  after  surrer.dering,  were  stripped  by  these 
cowardly  wretches,  and  otherwise  basely  insulted.  Immedi- 
ately after  surrendering,  the  British  burnt  four  dwelling  houses 
and  two  barns,  in  the  vicmity  of  the  Wind  Mill,  having  previ- 
ously plundered  them  of  their  contents,  because  they  supposed 
the  people  friendly  to  the  patriots.  They  shot  a  woman  dead, 
who  kept  a  grocery  near  the  mill,  because  she  furnished  them 
with  cider;  at  the  same  tin;e  shooting  at  another  female,  the 
ball  passing  through  her  under  jnw.  One  of  the  few  who 
<,\sca[)ed,  declared  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  determined  inter- 
ference of  the  brave  62d  regiment,  Gowan's  Orangemen  would 
have  massacred  the  whole  of  them.  One  ofihe  officers  of  this 
gallant  regiment,  on  witnessing  the  cruel  conduct  of  these 
wretches  towards  the  heli)Icss  prisoners,  ordered  the  regulars 
to  *'fix  bayonets,''  and  in  case  those  blood-hounds  did  not  de- 
sist, to  *»run  them  through."  About  1  o'clock,  A.  M.  they 
were  marched  to  Prescott,  lashed  together  two  and  two,  and 
embarked  on  board  the  steam  boat  Brockville.  On  Saturday 
night  they  were  marched  into  Fort  Henry  at  Kingston,  with  a 
long  rope  running  between  them;  the  gallant  and  immortal  Von 
Sliultz  uncovered,  at  their  head,  with  only  his  shirt,  boots  and 
pantaloons  on. 

"A  young  Scotchman,  named  Alexander  Wright,  whose 
mother,  a  widow,  lives  in  Glengarry,  was  engaged  in  the  patri- 
ot service.  He  was  wounded  in  the  arm  and  disabled;  after 
which  he  attempted  to  leave  the  Wind  Mill  and  seek  a  place  of 
safety,  where  his  wounds  might  be  dressed.  He  jumped  out 
of  the  WMnd  Mill  window,  near  the  spot  where  an  Orangeman 
was  loading  his  gun.  He  had  just  rammed  down  his  cartridge,, 
and  without  returning  the  ramrod,  fired  at  Wright.  The  ram- 
rod passed  into  the  poor  fellow's  body,  but  not  through  it.  He 
fell;  and  the  Orange  volunteers  instantly  stripped  hiin,  regard- 
less of  his  entreaties,  after  which  they  tumbled  him  into  a  cart,, 
sent  him  to  Prescott,  and  put  him  on  board  a  steam  boat  with 
the  ramrod  sticking  in  his  body.  His  cries  were  piercing.  In 
a  few  hours  he   died,    and  there  was  an  end  of  his  agony — 


i 


'.V 


Hl^'*' 

-V- 

f>. 

*'^i 

1  ! 

"^i^;. 

i"    * 

»'.>-." 

Ilf  ■ 

|!R.i;?^. 

B^'i 

;•  •'* 

1 

':f-v,,\ 

i  Pi--* 

If  "•  ]  ;•.  : 

1' 

1  '>i  ' ,. 

k'. 

:,    -l'^ 

li 

W^~'' 

IP  ■ 

O"^." 

'■   ;  ■ 

r 

\ 

i 

1              ^ 

1 

1 

\ 

i          K  ' 

\ 

ii    ■ 

(          ' 

'5 

j  ,1   ', 

■  i 

260 


ATTACK    ON    PRE&COTT. 


I 


hi  I 


i  • 


but  not  to  their  brutality.  Tbev  tied  round  j>liot  to  Ins  let  '^, 
and  tlnew  bini  iiilo  tbe  fcit.  L^l^vrtnc^,  \\\\\\  curses  micI 
imprecations.  ]\ir.  \\  rialu  \vns  a  n:ost  respectable  and  ve- 
ry luindsonje  young-  nian.  His  death  and  usage  exciud 
leeliiJgs  oi  deep  and  histiug  regret. 

^\  tio  can  read  of  the  courage  and  galhmtry  of  tlicse  vo- 
taries of  liberty;  their  l)ail)arous  treatment,  cruel  and  un- 
merited fate,  without  dropping  a  syn  }  ;;tbi>ing-  tear  at  the 
untimely  death  of  Von  ^bultz,  Abbey,  Woodruff,  and  Buck- 
ley, and  the  torturing  punishment  daily  inflicted  on  tbeir 
less  fortunate  compatriots,  in  Van  Dicman's  hand.  If  tlioc 
are,  in  this  iietber  world,  any  evcej)t  tlie  indurate  Orange- 
men and  conscience-seared  torus  that  can  do  so  we  envy 
them  not  their  ieelings. 

Tlie  brave  are  always  liumane.  ]n;n:edjtitely  after  the 
action  of  'J^uei-day,  Von  fchultz  wrote  the  following-  letter 
to  Col.  Young,  tie  conimaiider  of  the  IJiiti.'^ii  forces  nt 
Prescotl : 

"  1  send  you  two  of  your  w^ounded,  because  I  cannot  at- 
tend to  them,  and  give  tlieni  the  care  tliey  rcejuire.  In  re- 
quital, I  beir  you  to  treat  my  wonnded  \a  ith  kindness.  If 
on  your  honor  you  assure  me  tliat  we  are  not  received  l)y 
the  people  here  as  liberators,  it  depends  on  you  to  put  a  stop 
to  further  blood-shed." 

Col.  Young  declined  returning  an  answ^T,  for  the  follow- 
ing reasons,  viz:  When  the  call  to  arms  took  place  at  Frcs- 
cott,  many  refused  to  turn  out — who  were  instantly  march- 
ed into  Fort  Wellington,  and  tiiere  closely  conlined  fiml 
cruelly  treated,  nntil  some  weeks  sfter  the  patriots  surren- 
dered. He  also  knew  that  if  the  patriots  could  ]k  netrate 
into  the  interior,  the  people  would  join  them  as  the  liber.t- 
tors  of  their  country.  He  laiew  tlie  majority  w^ere  disaffected 
to  the  core. 

This  badly  advised  and  unfortunately  terminated  exr^ 
dition  completely  frustrated  the  execution  ol  Gen.  Bierco"s 
better  matured  plans  for  securing  the  Western  and  London 
Districts. 

Had  Cien.  Birge  permitted  Von  Shultz,  Abbey  and  Wood- 
ruff, with  their  six  hundre  1  men  to  join  the  north-w^estcrn 
division,  the  campaign  of  1838  w^ould  not  have  terminated 


K-  'i 


Wkstern  expedition. 


lot  to  Ills  Irr.s; 
ll    curses  Jii;cl 

't.'iLle  iiLd  vc- 
iis.'ige  excited 

Y  of  these  vo- 
iiiel  find  Mil- 
'^  tcnr  f:t  (he 
^r,  nud  Ihicl:^ 

ctcd  on  their 
'••i^cJ.  Ifihoe 
nitc  Or.'inoe-. 

>  so  we  envy 

ely  nftcr  tl;e 

lowing)-  letter 

lish    forces  nt 

3  I  can  Mot  at- 
niro.  In  re- 
kindness.  Jf 
t  received  hy 
1  topnt  a  stop 

or  the  follow- 
ihico  at  Pies- 
antly  ninrcli- 
con  lined  aiul 
! riots  surren- 
ild  i)enetra(e 
IS  the  liber.-N 
I'e  disafiected 

inated  v.y^y.c- 
j!en.  Bierces 
and  London 

r  and  Wood- 

irth-westcrn 

terminated 


261 


so  disastrously.  Gen.  Bierce  had  been  for  weeks  waiting 
the  arrival  of  Von  Shiiltz  ;  but  hearing  nothino;  of  him,  and 
fearing  some  accident  might  have  happened,  he  liurried  to 
!>ii(faio  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  dehiy.  On  arriving 
there,  nothing  could  he  lieard  of  him,  and  he  returned  great- 
ly disappoint(id.  Still  ignorant  of  Birge's  expedition,  he 
knew  nothing  of  it  until  he  received  the  news  of  iis  unfor- 
tuuale  termination,  which  arrived  at  tlu;  very  moment  ho 
was  ])roj)aring  to  unfurl  the  standard  ot  liberty  in  the  Wes- 
tern District.  At  thi?.  lime,  he  had  about  six  hundred  able 
bodied  men,  and  nun^bers  were  daily  flocking  to  his  stand- 
ard. Appearances,  so  far,  w^ere  quite  favorable — but  one 
misfortune  generally  leads  toanoilier. 

Gen.  Brady,  the  Patriots  irreatest  enemy,  was  enforcing 
lliejieutral  laws  more  rigidly  than  ever.  The  British  au- 
ihoritics  informed  him  that  a  large  l/odv  of  Patriots  was 
concentrating  at  Put-in-Bay  :  wdien.  obedient  to  the  Britisli 
call,  he  embarked  instantly  ibr  Tvlalden,  chartered  the  boat 
jiady,  and  with  her  seized  the  PatricU  schooner  Victoria, 
loaded  with  arms,  ammunition  and  provisions.  This,  \\\i\\ 
the  disheartening  new^s  oi  Von  Shultz's  fate,  so  discouraged 
the  men  that  about  two-thirds  of  them  returned  to  their 
homes.  Gen.  Bierce,  how^ever,  proceeded  immediately  to 
Detroit,  to  hire  boats,  as  the  remaining  \m\i  were  determin- 
ed to  raise  the  standard  oi  liberty  in  Canada,  at  all  liazards. 
Shortly  afterwards  they  removed  and  pitched  their  camp 
about  three  miles  beyond  Detroit.  Bierce  made  every  ex- 
ertion to  charter  boats,  but  to  no  etfect.  The  men  became 
clamorous  against  him,  for  his  want  of  spirit  and  zeal  to 
carry  out  the  object  of  their  expedition.  On  the  evening 
of  the  3d  December  he  appeared  at  the  camp  to  explain  to 
them  that  it  w^is  not  owing  to  tlie  want  of  either  spirit  or 
zeal  in  hiui,  that  they  w^ere  not  then  in  Canada  ;  but  to  the 
difficulty  in  the  w^ay  of  obtaining  water  craft.  They  insis- 
ted on  crossing  that  night,  or  they  w'ould  disperse.  He 
reasoned  with  thenj,  anel  remonstrated  against  so  desperate 
an  attempt  in  their  then  weak  and  unprepared  state — desti- 
tute of  artillery,  munitions  of  war,  and  every  other  article 
necessary  to  carry  on  a  successful  canipaign — that  the  Bri- 
tish at  VVindsor,  Sandwach  and  Maiden,  were  well  provide 

1^  I 


#■ 


;   M 


i 


:H 


ATTACK    ON    WINDSOK. 


lii|;( 


•  1 


i'n 


IV-  i 


C(J,  and  prepared  to  rcvsist ;  that  another  faihire  would  rn'n 
the  cause  ;  that  in  a  few  days  the  ice  would  be  strong:  c- 
Mough  to  bear  them,  and  by  that  time  tliey  would  be  fully 


!%»' 


eparod  to  cross,  and  take  up  a  position  wliercver  they 
pleased  ;  maintain  their  ground,  and  give  conticlenco  to 
their  fiionds.  lint  tlie  men  had  U)st  all  patience,  and  be* 
lieved  the  General  had  no  iiitention  of  crossing  at  all.  They 
branded  him  as  a  cownrd  and  traitor,  and  insisted  on  cross- 
ing that  night.  I  le  re{)lied,  very  coolly,  that  he  was  neith- 
er a  cownrd,  nor  a  traitor ;  but  if  tliey  were  determined  to  I  b 
sacritice  liiemselves,  he  would  go  and  ronvmee  themtl 
he  was  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  ;  1  rit  the  consequence 
o."  llieir  temerity  would  ri^st  with  th.emselves.  Gen.  Put- 
iiam.  Cols.  Harreli  and  Scott  ceincid!  d  with  the  General. 
But  the  men  were  doaf  to  all  remonstrnnces,  and  sti^'-ma- 
'ised  cv^erv  one   who  di tiered   from   them  as  traitor^^     Go 


I'.t 


th 


ov  must,  aii 


d  iro  t; 


\v\  (■ 


lid. 


v:t  t 


Early  on  the  moriiiu::'  of  tlie   dth  December,  those  rest 
lute  niiMi,  164  in  number,  including- their  officers,  crossed 
little  before  day  liiiht  to  Windsor,  in  a  steam-boat  obtait^ 
Ui6  previous  evening.     The  barracks  were  immediately  vA- 
tacked;  rmd   after  a   kwv  Uiinutes  obstinate  resistance,  tliev 
were  carried  and   burn^     The  result  of  this  victory   wa? 
forty  prisoners  and  seventy-five  stands  of  arms. 

Kiated  with  the  success  of  their  first  rencontre,  they 
m  u'clied  ibr  Sandwich.  On  arriving  at  an  orchard. 
t!;ev  v/ere  ;ittacked  by  a  strona*  party  of  regulars  and  militia 
V  )}unteers.  who  were  securely  posted  behind  a  boaid  fence. 
T!'c  patriots  rushed,  ptill-m;;!!.  into  the  orchard,  where  thoy  ! 
wore  in(>re  exposed  to  the  fire  of  their  covered  eiir-uiy  thnti 
i\  dieir  (ormer  position.  Notwithstanding,  they  fou^iit  so 
re-"  oluti^ly  and  u-tcrminedly  that  the  British  v/ere  actually 
.'ji'inix  groimd.  when  Col.  Prince,  with  a  reinforcemeiit, 
caiiio  to  their  assistance.  The  patriots,  having  neglected 
to  secure  either  flank,  were  soon  thrown  into  disorder,  and 
il^'d  in  every  direction.  Gen.  Putnam  and  Col.  HarveU 
w\^re  killed  while  attempting  to  rally  the  men  on  the  retreat. 
The  f(n'mer  fell  with  the  Patriot  colors  wrapped  round  his 
b'  dv.  [farvell  was  literally  riddled  with  balls.  Wfien  the 
sriv  ejo  volunteers  called  upon  him  to  surrender,  he  declar- 


would  rv'in 
be  stronn^  c. 
oiild  Ije  fully 
lorcver  they 
oiifidenco  to 
ice,  and  be- 
at all.  Thoy 
U'd  on  cross- 
le  was  iioitli.. 
etcniiiiiGd  to 
ee  them  that 

consequence 

Ge!i.  Vu{. 

the  General. 

and  stigrna- 

raitors. "  Go 

r,  those  reso- 
ers,  crossed  a 
ioat  oitainefl 
ned lately  ;;[■ 
lisfance,  tliev 
victory   wa>: 


contre,  they 
an  orchar(i. 
s  and  rniliti;i 
hoiud  fence. 
,  where  tfiey 
eiir-niy  that! 
ey  ibno-ht  so 
^ere  actually 
inforcemeiif, 
V^"  nci^lected 
isorder,  anr 
Col.  Harvell 
1  t!ie  retreat. 
'd  round  his 
.  Wfieu  the 
r,  he  declar- 


ATTACK   OK   SANDWICH. 


203 


ed  that  there  Was  no  such  word  in  the  patriot  service,  and 
defended  himself  with  a  lars^e  bowie  knife  to  the  very  last. 

In  this  action  the  patriots  lost  nine  killed  and'  four 
wounded,  hesides  (ifty-one  taken  prisoners.  Tlie  enemy 
lost  seventeen  killed;  twer.ty-six  wounded:  their  large 
barracks  and  a  steam-hoat  were  buin«. 

The  l>ritlsli  regulars  who  were  eno-noed,  declared  that 
the  patriots  fought  with  a  bravery  and  iiallantry  that  would 
have  done  credit  to  the  best  disciplined  lron|  s  ;  that  Iheir 
humane  treatment  of  the  prisoners  who  fell  into  their 
hands,  and  the  great  respect  they  paid  to  private  [nonerty, 
while  Windsor  was  in  their  possession,  merited  fortliej)ri- 
soners  who  loll  into  Col.  Prince's  hand  a  belter  fate  than 
he  doomed  them  to.  This  Prince  of  monsters,  four  hours  af- 
ter the  enc-agement,  sliot  in  cold  Itlood,  Ibnr  of  tiie  uiiliir- 
tunate  prisoners  who  fell  into  his  hands.  Adj't  ( 'hcesman 
of  the  2d  Msse:.:  nnlitia  brought  up  a  ])risoner  and  surren- 
dered him  to  (V)l.  Prince,  who  ordered  him  to  be  sliot  on 
I'lespot.  'i'he  man  was  first  shot  in  the  shoulder,  and  se- 
verely, thouiMi  noi  mortally  wounded — a  second  shot  car- 
ried away  part  of  his  cheek — a  third  wounded  him  ui  the 
neck— after  which  he  was  bayoneted  to  death.  The  sec- 
ond prisonei*.  (who  was  woimd(.'d,)  was  brouglit  into  the 
town  of  Sa.ndwich  at  least  two  hours  after  the  en^'aircment, 
and  ordered  to  be  shot  on  the  spot.  It  was  jiioposed  to  give 
him  '-a  nni  for  his  life."  This  barliarous  proposition  was 
acceded  to.  and  in  an  instant  a  dozen  niuskets  wer(;  level- 
ed for  his  execuiion.  At  this  moment,  To!.  Wm.  Tilliot 
exclaimed.  ^  I) — ii  j/oii,  yoii  coirarJIy  r(i,'^ra!.<!,  am  yon  s>-n- 
iii!^'  to  ninrdv.r  yovr  prisoner!''  This  exelaiiiation.  for 
oiiein?tanr  relnrded  the  fire  of  the  party,  hut  in  tiie  nexc 
the  prisoner  was  brouirht  to  the  ground,  lie  spramr  airain 
U-)  his  feet  and  ran  rounci  the  corner  of  the  lenee,  where  he 
was  met  and  shot  through  the  head.  His  name  u-as  I>en- 
1  I  iiett,  an  Eindishman,  late  a  resident  in  the  I  ondon  District. 
F!is  death  took  place  in  the  pvd.^lic  street,  and  in  tlie  pre- 
sence of  several  ladies  and  children.  Another  prisoner, 
named  Dennison,  also  wounded  and  unarmed,  taken  after 
the  action,  was  brouoht  in  durinir  the  mornimj.     Charles 


'¥ 


Elliott, 


i-^i 


i- 


who  was  present  when  Col.  Prince  ordered 


264 


ATTACK   ON    SANDWICH. 


0'*:,'. 


m 


this  man  to  be  shot,  entreated  that  he  might  be  reserved  to 
be  dealt  with  according  to  the  hiws  of  the  country;  but 
Col.  Prince's  reply  was,  "D — n  the  rascal!  shoot  him!' 
and  it  was  done.  When  Col.  Prince  reached  Windsor  he 
was  informed  that  Stephen  Miller,  one  of  the  patriots  was 
lying  wounded  at  the  house  of  the  Rev.  W.  Johnson.  This 
rnan,  whose  leg  had  been  shattered  by  a  musket  ball  liad 
been  found  by  Francis  Baby,  Ksq.  Col.  Prince  gave  the 
the  order  for  his  execution.  The  wounded  man  said  he 
was  thirty-five  years  old,  owned  a  farm  in  the  town  of  Flo- 
rence, Huron  County,  State  of  Ohio,  and  had  a  wife  and  a 
boy  ;  lie  talked  about  liis  wife  and  son,  and  wishud  that  his 
wife  might  be  written  to.  Soon  after  this  a  party  ol  militia- 
men drairtred  him  out  of  the  hor.se  and  shot  him.  Miller 
was  wounded  between  seven  and  eiii^ht  in  the  morning,  and 
was  shot  at  noon.  He  lay  unl)uricd  all  night  iu  the  stroct, 
and  was  completely  disembowelled,  and  other  parts  of  him 
eaten   by  the  hosrs  ! 

Capt.  Bi'odrick  o(  the  regulars  left  a  prisoner  in  charge 
of  a  dragoon.  Prince  fell  in  with  this  ])risoner  ;  ordered 
him  to  be  taken  from  his  guard  and  sjiot.  which  was  done! 

A  ])arty  of  Indians  who  were  sent  into  the  woods  look 
seven  prisoners.  When  they  brought  them  out  a  cry  was 
raised,  "  bayonet  tliemf  But  Martin,  one  of  the  Indian 
braves,  replied,  "  Pso,  we  are  Cliristians  !  we  will  not  mur- 
der defcMiceless  prisoners  !"  Hut  when  these  men  were  de- 
livered to  Col.  Prince,  he  had  them  placed  in  a  waijfon,  and 
when  it  readied  an  open  spot  opposite  the  barracks,  he 
commanded  them  to  be  taken  out  and  shot.  On  this  Mr. 
James  cried,  "  For  God's  sake  do  not  let  a  white  man  mur- 
der those  whom  an  Indian  spared!'' 

Mr.  Burnett,  another  FiUglishman,  from  liOndon  v\*as 
crippled  and  lamed  from  a  wound  received  in  the  battle  by 
the  bayonets  ofthetory  blood-hounds  of  Sandwich,  where 
the  more  than  savaire  Prince  ordered  his  serfs  to  shoot  him 
down  in  cold  blood!  One  of  the  dastardly  wretches  fired 
and  destroyed  the  side  of  his  face  ;  breaking  the  under-jaw, 
and  mutilating  him  in  a  shockinor  manner,  'i  he  poor, 
wounded  and  bleedino*  creature  was  forced  on  again,  ;uid 
shot  iu  the  shoulder;  another  shot  was  fired,  when  the 


ATTACK    ON    SANDWICH. 


205 


e  reserved  to 
joimtry;  but 

shoot  liim!" 
1  Windsor  he 

patriots  was 

[jiisoij.  Tliis 

kct  ball  J]ad 

lice  gave  the 

iiian  said  he 

town  ofFlo- 

a  wife  and  a 

shed  that  liis 

ty  of  militia- 

liiii.     Miller 

nornino-,  and 

in  the  street, 

parts  of  Inrn 

er  in  diarize 
ler  ;  ordered 

h  was  done! 
;  woods  took 
it  a  cry  was 
f  the  Indian 
^ill  not  mnr- 
nen  were  de- 
,  wasfon,  and 
barracks,  he 

On  this  Mr. 
ite  man  niur- 

liOndon  vv-ns 
the  battle  by 
wich,  whore 
to  shoot  him 
retches  fired 
G  nnder-jaw, 
'11 10  poor, 
1  ao^ain,  and 
d,  when  the 


hlood  and  brains  of  tl 


le  unfortnnate  man  were  dashed 


irainst  llje  door  of  the  house  ol^Mr.  Cowino-. 

They  left  the  bodies  of  those  niei],  together  with  tl 
killed  in  [)attlc,  on  the  street,  until  the  F 


a- 


lose 

.  riM  r       ,  '  -    ■■'-•"*  commenced 

eatm<,^  tlieru.  1  hey  refused  to  allow  the  body  of  the  brave 
liut  unfortunate  Putnam  to  be  removed  to  Detroit.  IJis 
daughter,  m  company  with  a  humane  and  respectable  citi- 
zen, app'hcd  to  a  ma<,ristrate  at  AVindsor,  when  t'ns  Iniso 
:ind  bloody  Prince  told  the  youni:  lady,  '•  7/' 7  had  the 
jwircr,  [^suki  lie,)  I ivoiild  have  hmiL'-  yuvr father  bf.fwecu 
two  trees— quartered  his  body,  and  thrown  il  to  the  hoo-sf"' 
l?orrib)e  !  !  Contrast  the  conduct  of  the  brave  but  uiTfor- 
limate  ])atriots,  with  those  heartless  wretches,  ni:d  seethe 

diflerence.     The  patriots  made   forty  or  fifty  prisoners 

lanoni)-  whom  were;  ]\h;'ssrs.  Haby  and  Mercer.  Is  there 
(lie  man  among  them  will  say  they  were  insulted  or  abus- 
ed/ Did  they  not  respect  private  property?  Did  they 
;;buse  any  of  the  inhabitants?  Were  they  not  in  possession 
of  Windsor  long  enough  to  liavc  laid  it'in  ashes,  had  they 
Icen  disposed?  J)id  they  not  save  tlie  children  and  furni- 
inrc  which  were  in  the  house  adjoining  the  barracks  which 
were  burnt?  Did  they  abuse  women,  or  even  molest  a  child? 
After  the  battle  a  number  of  the  wounded,  and  other  pa- 
triots, souglit  refuge  among  the  Irish  and  French  part  of 
llie  population.  One  of  theoflicers,  ]\]r.  K.  an  Kniilishmen, 
threw  liimself  u)!on  the  protection  of  a  whole-souled  Irish- 
woman, in  the  al>?ence  of  her  hi!sl)and.  Are  you  a  "  patrl- 
(//'c//.^' said  she.  -I  ama  j)atriot,"  he  answered.  ''Then, (said 
?he,)  its  yourself  tliat's  safe  enoiiirh — jist  "o  into  the  cellar, 
and  keej)  aisy.''  When  her  husband  (UTiv^d,  she  informed 
liim  wliatshe  liad  done  :  he  approved  her  conduct;  visited 
the  officer,  and  dressed  liis  wounds  ;  informed  ]\Ir.  K.  that 
iic  had  a  few  minutes  belbre  secreted  four  others  in  differ- 
•nit  Irish  Catholic  houses,  and  that  be  was  one  ot  the  mili- 
tia appointed  by  Prince  to  search  for  the  fugitive  patriots, 
and  bring  them  prisoners  to  him  ;  but,  said  he,  "bad  luck 
to  me,   and  the    likes  o'  me,  if  ev(ir  Prince  or  tlie  likes  o' 


liim,   shall  evtM'  see  one  on   whom  Ned 


gets  liis  eye 


upon.     Now,  (continued  this  nof)Ie  of  nature's  creation,)  1 
mustiro  and  find  more  o'  the  bovs,  for  they  will  be  afther 


k 


IT  ''  ■ 


B- 


M 


!:•.• 


Mi*--' 

!::  i.  .'     - 


S„iii«! 


I  4, 


i  :M 


k 


'I  -■  I 


I 


hi  I 


I- 

Id ; 


206 


ATTACK    CN    SANDWICH. 


Ixinji  cold  iuid  luintiry,  tiiid  iioy  le  1  cj.n  sn\e  tlitni.' 
Ofilic  went ;  aud  sirie  eiKiJfil),  ittiiiiied  with  tlirce  nioro, 
ti  little  niter  sniisct.  Here  lie  kej.t  niid  led  tlieiii  on  tlm 
lest  liis  lioiise  could  nflbrd,  lor  &ix  we(  ks.  When  they  ;ir- 
livcd  nt  Detroit  they  were  hale,  fat,  and  hearty  as  |;orkeis. 

On  one  of  his  daily  visits,  he  remarked  to  the  hoys, 
''  now  my  lads,  yon  have  jiiSt  a  taste  ol"  how  the  Eng- 
lish nse  the  poor  Irish."  Hack  Inck  to  them,  said  Lis 
wife,  "my  own  dear  lader  was  twelve  years  hid  in  a  rock, 
ior  the  lear  ov  them,  alter  the  battle  of  Yiuegar  Hill,  and 
its  myselltliat  carried  his  vitals  till  he  died." 

Another  instance  of  nature's  n(0)le  creation.  One  ot'tho 
patriots,  lieiiio;  hotly  jnirsned  by  the  British  trooj  s,  took  r( 
liige  in  the  humble  dwelling  ol'  a  Frenchnjan,  which  hap- 
pened to  be  at  iiand.  ]t  was  early  in  the  morning  ;  tlic 
Frenchman  had  risen,  but  his  wile  had  not.  The  soldier 
hastily  asked,  "Are  you  a  ]  atriot."  ''Oui  jVIonsieur,"  said 
the  Frenchman.  "You  patriot  too?"'  "Yes."  The  noble 
hearted  Frencliman,  in  a  twinkling,  clapped  n  woman's 
night-cap  on  the  soldier's  head,  and  hurried  him  into  bed 
with  his  ivife,  who  was  in  the  same  room.  The  clothes 
were  scarcely  adjusted,  ere  the  British  entered  in  pursuit ; 
but  seeing  only  two  u-owcn  in  bed,  and  the  Frenchman  up, 
they  asked  for  the  rebel  they  had  seen  enter  helbre.  The 
Frenchman  pointed  to  the  bush,  through  the  back  door, 
and  away  they  went,  "pell-mell,  in  chase  after  the  rebel, 
who  by  the  aid  of  his  noble  host  and  a  canoe,  was  soon  in 
safety  on  the  American  soil. 

Tlie  battle  of  Windsor  termiriated  as  Gen.  Bierce  predic- 
ted, and  with  it  all  further  eflorts  on  the  frontier;  omiv^ 
entirely  to  the  ungovernable  rashness  of  head-strong  and 
inexperienced  but  brave  men.  They  fouj^ht  gallantly  and 
behaved  nobly,  throughout  the  whole  aflair,  it  is  confessed, 
yet  the  effort  was  a  most  daring  one,  and  the  event  proved, 
as  Gen.  Bierce  foretold,  a  wanton  waste  of  human  lives, 
without  a  sinijle  corresponding  benefit.  In  every  instance 
the  Patriots  were  undisciplined  and  lacking  in  arms,  and 
however  willing  they  were  to  be  placed  under  the  rigor  ot 
military  discipline,  yet  it  was  impossible  to  do  so  on  either 
sjd^  of  the  line.     Were  they  not  men  possessed  of  the  most 


save  tlitni.' 
h  tliice  nioiT, 

tliciii  on  \\\p 
Vhen  llicy  ;ir- 
y  iis  j.orkeis. 

to  liu!  boys, 
low  tlie  Eiit- 
icm.  Siiid  liis 
liid  in  ii  rock. 
V^uY  Hill,  and 

One  oflho 
ooj  s,  took  li- 
n,  which  hnji- 
nioining  :  tlio 

The  soldier 

onsienr,"  snid 

"     ']1ie  nol.)lo 

^d  a  wcninn's 

1  him  into  bed 

The  clothes 
cd  in  pursuit ; 
'rcnchmnniip,  : 
before.  The 
le  hack  door, 
fter  the  rebel, 
?j  was  soon  in 

Bierce  predic- 
ontier;  owiDji: 
rid-strong  iind 
gallantly  and 
it  isconfps.sed, 
event  proved, 
human  lives, 
ivery  instnnce 
in  arms,  and 
r  the  rigor  ot 
o  so  on  either 
^d  of  the  most 


ATTACK   ON    SANDWICH. 


267 


sterling  courage  and  confidence  in  themselves,  they  would 
never  have  attempted  to  face  an  enemy  who  Imd,  at  one 
time,  numbered  forty  to  one,  and  at  no  time  less  than  six 
to  one. 

Since  they  failed,  they  have  been  m  )st  un^J^enerously  ac- 
cused, and  unjustly  regarded  as  a  parcel  of  brii^and:?,  whose 
only  object  was  pi  under  and  rapine.  Had  they  succeeded 
ill  achieving  their  indepeudetice,  the  manly  conduct  and 
sterling  bravery  displayed  by  tiiem  at  the  Wind  Mill  point, 
Windsor,  Fighting  Island,  Point  au  Polec,  Navy  Islnnd, 
Short  Hills  and  'I'oronfo,  thoy  would  be  as  much  the  eu- 
logising theme  of  their  oppouL-nts,  as  they  are  now  the  butt 
of  their  ridicule.  I5ut  as  they  were  not  able  to  war,  suc- 
cessfully, against  Gnuit  Britain  and  the  ncMitral  laws  of  the 
United  States,  without  regard  to  the  intolerable  oppression 
which  forced  them  to  arms,  or  the  noble  object  they  had  in 
view,  in  releasing  their  country  from  the  worst  kind  of 
nionarchial  tyranny,  and  the  extreme  scantiness  of  the 
means  they  had  to  accomplish  their  object,  they  are  de- 
nounced as  i)irates,  and  heralded  by  a  republican  proclama- 
tion, as  nefarious  out-laws,  unworthy  of  sympathy  or  pro- 
tection. Von  Shultz.  Cols.  Abbey  and  Woodruff,  felt  the 
dreadful  effect  of  this  uncalled  for  proclamation  on  a  Brit- 
ish scaffold,  and  the  banished  in  Van  Dieman's  Land  feel 
it  every  day. 

What  rendered  it  the  more  annoying  to  the  chivalrous 
Patriots,  was  to  be  so  branded  by  the  descendants  of  some 
of  those  noble  souls  who,  in  other  days,  shed  their  blood 
in  the  same  cause,  for  the  same  glorious  prize;  forgetting 
that  they  were  also  stigmatised  with  the  same  opprobrious 
and  infamous  lory  epithets;  but  by  a  little  timely  French 
aid,  they  ultimately  proved  successful,  consequently  all 
the  world  joined  in  admiring  their  bravery,  and  converted 
the  opprohrroiis  epithets  of  pirate  and  brigand  into  th.-jt  ot 
patriot  and  hero.  Had  the  Patriots  received  a  similar  timc- 
Iv  aid,  who  could  say  that  the  twin  star,  striped  banner  of 
Canadian  Independence,  wo.ild  not,  at  this  day,  be  proudly 
rtoatincr  in  the  breeze  on  the  battlements  of  Gluebec?  It  is 
not,  therefore,  the  cause,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad,  nor  the 
object  in  view;  nor  the  oppression  which  drove  the  people 


•4 


It* 


M 


w- 


I1 1 ' 


ill  :     ^' 


:,  1 


P 
r   I 


21)3 


EXKCUTIONS    AT    KINCJSTON'. 


to  arms;  nor  the  lioroic  gallantry  (iisplaycd  in  attaiiiiiiL^Mho 
object,  that  luaiikiiid,   j^rencrally,   (Mlher   approves   or  <?ou. 
deiniis;  hut  the  vSticcess  which  crowns  the  (uuJ.     'Die  M.\;x- 
iaii  concern  is  a  lair  sj)ecinien  ot  tliis.     'i'hey  hiul  no  retil 
o-rievances  to  pl^ad,  nor  any  to  warrant  a  res(jrt  to  arms.— 
The  Canadians  had,  and  t!»at  ol'tho  most  oppressive  kind. 
Nevertheh3S>,  the   lornitM',   hy  a   htrle  assistance  iVom  tli", 
citizens  oTihe  United  Slates,  prov{;d  snccesslhi — their  oou- 
dnct  was   approved,   aiid  their   independence   recoij-niscd, 
even  by  Q.ueen  Victoria.     Tlie  hilter,  aUho'.iiiii  they  W(Uo 
ibrccil  to  arms,   in  d'.'C^Micv)  of  their  constitutional   ri^ht-:, 
were  debarred  of  every  succor,  i)rononnced  nefarious  oui- 
hiws,   hunted,    iinprisoiied    and    punislied    by   the    United 
States' j^overnment.     Ttiey  failed, — llow  could  it  be  oth- 
erwise?— l)Ut  not  in_^ioriously.     It  was  their  misfortune  — 
not  their  fault. 

Alter  a  mock  trial,  to  a-ppoase  the  ra-j^ini;  thirst  of  the  to- 
ries  (or  l^ltriot  blood,  ilie  lamtrnted  Von  Simltz  was  huii^' 
on  a  ^rihbet,  at   ^\»rt  lienry,  Kingston,    i)ic.    183S,  in  his 
thirty  tirst  year,     lie  it^.'t  liis  fate  with  the  matily  th'nmess 
of  a  Polish  Patriot;  breathiii.^-  foniivoness  to  his  assas.'iiiis. 
In  1830  ho  i)re-e!ninent!y  dlstin^•uished  himself  in  the  lir.- 
eratinu' army  of  his  own  unfortunate  counti'y,  under  (leii. 
Uminiske,  piU'ticularly   at   the   battle  ot   Juolonna  and  at 
Warwar,  under  Gen.  Skrzynecki,  who  conlerred  upon  hiai 
ihe  Colonelcy  and  command  of  a  re<riment,  for  his  intre- 
pidity in  cliar^ini,^  a  reainicntof  Russians,  and  compelliirz 
them  to  lay  down  their  arms.     He  was  about  to  be  marn- 
od  to  a  lovely  yomiir  American  lady  at  Salina,  N.  Y. — w.is 
in  (rood  circumstances — had  a  superior  military  education 
— of  very  eno^airini^'  manners,  and  hi^dily  esteemed  by  every 
person  who  knew  liim. 

On  the  I2th  l)(^c.  Col.  Doreplius  Abbey  sufFerod  as  an- 
other martyr  to  Canadian  liberty.  He  was  executed  at 
Kiufjston — was  a  native  of  Connecticut — by  profession  a 
printer.  Mr.  Southwick  said,  'die  was  an  excellent  work- 
man; became  an  eminent  journalist  in  the  State  of  New 
York;  was  fru2:al  and  industrious,  brave,  sincere,  and  en- 
joying the  good  opinion  and  respect  of  society."  He  was| 
in  good  circumstances,  and  entered  the   Patriot  service 


with 
oppi 
wer( 
unvv 
Ci 
(la<re 
I9tl 
bou 
riots 
Krea 
ton 
Auk 
nfh 
Tall; 
tL'r's 
ly  c 
dooi 
war 

ti)l'!l 

I'le 
i  )rn 
;'r;u 

ids  ' 

l)od 
hod 

rii. 

uvo 
er  f 
dis. 
!)ro 
up 

liii 

r 


1 


EXKCUTlONi'    AT    KlNCJRTON. 


269 


attainiiiL,Mlio 
ovcs  or  ''Oil- 
Tli(3  Tux- 
y  liad  no  nral 
n't  to  arms.  ~ 
)rL'ssivi;  kind, 
iico  i'rom  ill- 
li — tliL'ir  coil- 
J   n'coLrniscd, 

ii*^iial  rights, 
ncrarious  oiu- 
y  tiiii  lJniii\l 
nld  it  l)L3  otli- 

luisrortiiiiL'  — 

lirst  of  the  to- 
Itz  was  liiiiio- 
.  IS'JS,  ill  his 
lanly  firiniiess 
t  his  {issas.-;ins, 
self  in  thr;  hf.- 
•y^  under  ( Jiiii. 
idoniia  and  at 
rrcd  upon  hini 
,  Ibr  his  in  tre- 
nd coniponiiiG: 
It  to  he  niarri- 
a,  N.  Y. — was 
tary  odiicatioiil 
oined  hy  every 

3 II f Ft) rod  lis  an-' 
IS  ex(3cuted  at 
y  profession  a 
xcellent  work- 
State  of  N(3wi 
iiicere,  and  en-i 
ety."  He  wns|J 
^atriot   servicell 


without  any  other  object  than  that  of  jrivini,'  liberty  to  an 
oppressed  people.  Yet  he,  Woodrulf  and  Von  Shultz, 
were  denounced  by  Mr.  Van  Huren  as  '-nefarious  out-laws, 
unworthy  tlio  sympathy  or  proiectioji  of  their  country.'' 

Col.  Martin  Woodrutf,  deputy  SherilFof  Salina,  Onon- 
(U^ro  County,  N.  Y.  was  also  executed  at  Kinixston,  Dec. 
lOth.  Ills  enthusiasm  in  favor  of  Canndiiui  liberty  was 
boundless,  lie  went  to  Navy  Island  with  aid  to  the  Pat- 
riots; was  ready  to  serve  at  I'rench  (^n^-k,  and  exhibited 
^rreat  coolness  and  coiiraLTo  at  the  Wind  Mill.  The  Kinufs- 
ton  Spectator  says  :  'die  and  Abbey  met  their  end  like  true 
American  Patriots,  firm,  cool  and  collected."  The  seene 
of  his  murder  is  thus  di;scribed  by  the  same  editor:  «'-This 
;rallant  soldier  was  bron'jht  fr.im  Fort  lletny  upon  a  car- 
ter's ronLili  train,  attended  by  two  priests,  escorted  hya  par- 
ty ot  vohniteer  cav;dry  to  tin;  jail,  and  soon  after  to  the 
door  leadin:^  to  the  scalfold,  v/!i;3:i  the  Shtiriif  r.'.ad  Arlhur's 
warrant  to  execntc  hitu.  He  was  then  plae-'^d  o'l  tlic  j)lat- 
fi)rm,  the  cap  i)nll(ul  ov(!r  his  fu-/:;  and  the  han::-mia  ;)lac2d 
I'le  r  )pe  to  a  hook  in  the  l)i;ani  over  his  hx\],  Tiie  [)lat- 
lorm  f.^11,  and  prcst^nted  a  revoUin:;',  (iis.ri] jtirii,'  and  dis- 
I'-racefiil  scone.  Tfie  knot,  instead  of  drawincj  tiuht  nndcr 
iiis  ear,  wis  brouirht  to  the  c'lin:  it  di'l  not  slip,  !vit  lofr 
^p.ice  (vioiiLi^h  to  put  a  liand  within:  the  chief  w:e.nit  of  the 
liody  bearin'j^  upon  the  rope  at  the  back  of  t'le  i^^"k.  The 
body  was  in  i^reat  nuatation,  and  seemed  to  snifer  iri'tJ^dly. 
The  spectators  said  it  was  shameful  inanao^einont,  when 
I  wo  han.T-nien  came  out,  endeavored  to  stranofle  the  sufTer- 
(.T  and  not  havinir  s-ieceeded,  they  returned  a^^ain  to  their 
(lis^ustiu'j:  work."  Re  further  adds:  -his  neck  was  not 
tirokeii  till  the  lianL^man  on  tlie  cross-tree,  had  pulled  him 
up  by  the  collar  an  i  let  him  fill  f>ur  ti:nes  in  s  iccession.'' 
/Vfter  thi--^  the  inh-i  win  brute  struck  liis  heels  s:n'era!  times 
iiuo  the  breast  of  tlie  dyin^  man  ! 

The  followinir  '-propo./al"  was  issued  a  ^<d\v  daj's  previ- 
ous to  these  executions : 


OFFf'tt    OF    rilK    PflOVOST 


il 


VKSflAI. 


Kingston,  IJ.  C.  Nov.  2lth,  18:I3, 


Sealed  tenders  will  be  received  at  this  ofhce,  until   1:3 
o'clock,  noon,  Dec.  6th.  1833,  from  persons  wiio  may  be 

23 


«f 


n. 


.,'••■■ 


S!^   ! 


K 


I',. 


\h 


1  •••, 


' 


160 


fiFlilECH    OK   CALEB   CUSIIINQ. 


willin;j^  to  contrucl  for  tlie  han<i^iiig  of  such  sympnthisers, 
patriots,  robuls,  Yankees,  and  other  vagabonds,  as  have 
been,  or  may  bo  takon  in  arms,  durins^  tlic  present  distur- 
bances, the  tenders  to  express  the  rale  per  dozen,  York 
currency,  at  wliich  due  execution  of  the  hiw  will  be  per- 
formed. The  contractor  to  be  entitled  to  charije  for  all 
odd  minibers  of  malefactors,  under  a  dozen.,  as  if  the  dozen 
had  been  fully  completed.  A  i^allows  to  accommodate  tlui 
individuals,  will  bo  lurnished  i)y  the  IVovost  Marshal;  bur 
co.rts,  ropes,  ladders,  ifcc,  to  bj  found  by  the  contractor ! ! ! 

VlVAT  RkGINA." 

A  ^overfiment  that  could  so  unfeelinj^ly  trifle  with  thi» 
lives  of  its  citizens,  for  asscrtinir  their  natural  rights,  ouirhl 
to  be  swept  from  the  face  of  Ihe  earth.  The  peace  of  thu 
United  Sliiles — the  wellfare  of  Canada,  demand  that  Brit- 
ish control  should  be  driven  from  North  America. 

The  ibllowiuiif  is  an  extract  from  the  Hon.  Caleb  Cusli- 
ing's  oration,  delivered  at  Springfield,  Mass.  the  4th  July, 
1839,  in  wliicli  this  point  is  thus  enforced  : 

"But  on  the  Northern  and  eastern  frontiers  of  the  Unit'.;il 
States,  overhanging  us  from  sea  to  sea  like  a  lowerinir  storm 
cloud,  arc  the  British  Provinces,  still  dependent  on  Europe. 
Thai  is  the  point  of  peril.  There  is  monarchy  in  its  worst 
term,  that  o(  forcible  occcupation,  by  a  foreign  prince,  of  a 
country  whose  natural  position,  and  social  constitution,  and 
contiguity  to  us,  impel  it  towards  independence  and  free- 
dom and  seU'-governnient.  There  is  the  perpetual  source 
of  border  difficulties  ;  for  that  b)ng  inland  frontier  of  river, 
and  plain,  and  lake,  is  utterly  incapable  of  being  guarded 
by  fortifications  or  armies  ai^ainst  the  hazards  of  wars,  or 
withheld  from  illicit  commercial  intercourse  either  in  penca 
or  war.  Suppose  New  Kngland  and  New  York,  to  bfl 
separate  nations,  could  any  conceiv:ible  number  of  garris- 
ons or  custom  houses,  build  up  an  impassable  barrier  be- 
tween them?  Impossible.  And  yet  such  is  the  relativo 
situation  of  the  United  States  and  the  British  provinces.— 
And  there  is  the  pernicious  fact,  whicli  forces  us  intotlio 
field  of  European  politics,  ami  gives  to  a  European  power 
control  over  us.  The  Erencli  wars  were  waged  from  Ca- 
iiada— the  war  of  1 776  was  urged  from  thence.     The  nortli 


BPK1<:CII   OF    CALKD   CUSHINO 


271 


sympnthisers, 
lids,  us  Imvu 
resent  distil r- 
dozcii,  York 
'  will  be  per- 
jharije  for  all 
s  if  tlie  dozen 
)rntnodjito  tim 
Marshal;  biir 
contractor ! ! ! 
r  Rkc.ina." 
ritle  with  tli<^ 
rights,  ouirht 
3  peace  of  thu 
iiid  that  Brit- 
erica. 

.  Caleb  Ciisli- 
the  4th  Julv, 

• 

I  of  the  Unit'.Ml 
3werinir  storm 
inton  Europe, 
hy  in  its  worst 
:n  prince,  of  a 
nstitution,  and 
encc  and  freu- 
rpetnal  source 
intier  of  river, 
be  in  Of  guarded 
rds  of  wars,  or 
either  in  penca 
r  York,   to  bfl 
iriber  of  jjar ris- 
ible barrier  be- 
is  the  relative 
h  provinces. — 
;es   us  into  iIh- 
uropean  power 
raged  from  Ca- 
re.    The  north 


wcsleju  Indian  wars  were  wngcd  from  it.  Tlie  war  of 
1812--the  next,  and  the  ni'Xl,'and  the  only  foreign  wnr» 
which  \\'(\  have  cause  to  dreaiJ,  will,  if  the  present  state  of 
tilings  lasts,  be  wagod  from  Canada.'  J-'or  winle  the  rest  of 
Kurope,  it  it  would  assail  us  at  all.  must  assail  us  liy  sen, 
and  can  only  strike  at  our  ocean  Irontier,  and  will  bc'impo- 
teiit  against  us  there  by  reason  of  the  extent  of  our  coasts 
which  excludes  the  idea  of  blockade,  and  the  dillicnlty  of 
transporting  great  armies  over  sea,  and  the  impossibility  of 
sustaining  them  without  a  fixed  and  sure  foothold  on  shore 
--while  such  is  our  relation  to  the  rest  ol  JAiropc,  Cnglond 
on  the  contrary,  has  her  great  naval  depots  and  military 
arsenals  on  owy  eastern  and  northern  frontiers;  and  by  the 
St.  liawrence  and  the  lakes  has  an  ope  n  avenue  within  the 
heart  of  the  Ignited  Slates,  lloiiee  when  we  have  been  nt 
war  with  her,  the  cDullict  has  raged,  not  on  the  sea  coast 
merely,  but  on  the  intc^rior  soil  of  New  York,  Ohi<^  and 
Michigan, a  region  which  ought  to  be  as  inaceessibUi  to  Eu- 
ropean armies,  as  if  a  wall  of  adamant  was  around  it  on  all 
yides. 

"13ut  this  unnatural  condition  of  thinirs  cannot,  will  not 
last.  The  Hritish  Colonies  are  apjjioachingto  that  malun- 
ly  of  separate  strength  which  brings  with  it  Independence. 
When  they  have  reached  that  maturity,  they  will  as  surely 
sunder  from  the  mother  country,  as  the  ripe  fruit  drop's 
liom  the  tnio.  Why  should  they  cross  the  Atlantic  for  men 
to  govern  them?  Why  not  govern  themselves?  AVhy 
should  the  flowers  of  tlieir  pros]^erity  serve  only  to  give 
honey  for  foreign  drones  to  live  on  ?  Why  should  not  the 
natural  resources  of  their  country  be  developed  for  the  ben- 
efit of  its  own  people?  They  must  and  they  will  be.  There 
is  no  dominant  and  all  pervading  aristocracy  in  those  prov- 
inces, to  assmiulate  their  condition  to  that  of  Britain.  '3'lie 
natural  tendency  of  their  social  condition  is  towards  demo- 
cracy, and  assimulation  with  us,  and  that  tendency  is  enfor- 
ced and  forwarded  by  the  inevitable  influence  of  our  prox- 
imity to  them.  They  have  been  misgoverned,  grossly, 
wickedly  misgoverned.  There  is  no  doubt  of  it.  It  is  pro- 
claimed by  themselves;  it  is  declared  in  the  Britisli  Parlin^ 
ment;  it  is  admitted  bv  each  successive  Colonial  Secretary  : 


' 


r 


i  ; 


272 


SPELCII    OF    CALtB      CUSUING. 


(-'. 


1^ 


!>  il 


«i 


'% 


m 


It  is  spoken  out  in  Inngunge  that  cimnot  be  luistnkciij  tl<r 
lauyiiage  of  insiirrcclioii  and  civil  war.  It  iy  njonstroiis 
lor  AnicricaiiS  to  deny  that  the  C'anadas  liavc  bitn  mis^rov. 
eined.  It  is  idle,  nay,  it  is  periidioiisly  wicked  lor  any  body 
to  deny  it.  I  enj;ai"e  to  exhibit  a  parallel  oi  evcrv  one  ot 
the  specifications  of  tyranny  set  forth  in  our  declaration  of 
independence,  by  the  same  or  greater  jicts  of  tyranny  per 
petrated  by  Gieat  Britain  in  the  Canndjis.  ISot  that  Ijii: 
land  is  a  worse  mistress  to  iheni  than  any  other  foreign 
power  would  be. 

'i- But  colony  and  liberty  are  incoiiipati[)le.  Tliev 

can  no  more  exist  together  than  lire  and  water.  The  dnui- 
das  have  greater,  far  greater  causes  of  conjplaint,  than  w;- 
had.  when  we  lelongtd  to  Cir-ai  L'rilain.  Our  coloniul 
councils  were  elective,  theirs  .-no  aj.poiutcd  by  the  crown  ; 
and  that  is  one  of  the  j  oints  at  i-sue  in  their  present  trouble; 
We  had  town  goverinoents;  they  are  forhidden  to  jjav" 
them,  because  Kngland  consider?,  andjuslly,  that  town 
governments  are  so  many  nurseries  of  Freedom.  We  IkkI 
roads,  they  have  next  to  none;  we  hiid  public  school^-;  they 
have  absolutely  none;  we  Ijitd  hut  a  few  foreign  troops  quar- 
tered upon  us.  they  have  great  armies;  we  were  permitted 
to  bear  arms,  they  are  not;  we  elected  our  civil  and  militia 
officers,  tliey  do  not;  we  had  the  collection  and  destributioii 
of  monies,  they  have  not;  we  had  a  fair  and  impartial  pan- 
nel  of  jury,  they  have  not;  we,  in  short,  ]K)ssesscd  all  the 
means  and  instruments  wdiich  are  witliheld  from  thein. 
through  lear  that  if  they  possessed  these  means  and  instni 
inents  they,  also,  alter  our  example,  would  instantly  aspiro 
to  independence.  At  tlie  present  time,  they  arc  consigned  . 
to  the  tender  mercies  of  military  despotism,  martial  lav:,  | 
and  occupation  of  the  country  by  armed  Jiost^:  of  imported 
mercenaries.  Their  trusrwor'hy  public  men  cut  olf  by  the 
judicial  murder  of  couits  martial,  banislied  or  drivei^  into 
exile.  Their  villages  given  up  to  sack  and  conflagration  ; 
their  young  men,  some  sabred  in  the  field  without  quarter, 
otherwise  murdered  in  cold  blood,  and  witfiout  trial,  after 
battle  is  over;  their  women  violated;  the  bodies  of  their  slain 
patriots  left  to  rot  on  the  ground  unburied,  or  turned  over  to 
beasts  to  devour  !     God  of  justice  where  bleeps  thy  thun 


SPEECH    OP    CALEB    CUSHTNG. 


273 


luislakenj  ll.c 
y  monstrous 

b((.'ii  niisjiov 
lor  any  body 
every  one  oi 

leclaration  of 
tvrannv  per 

Sot  tliat  I-ini: 

)lher   foreign 

\itible.  They 
r.  Tlic  Caua- 
aim,  than  wr 
Our  coloniol 
»y  the  crown  ; 
Lsent  tronblc; , 
idden  to  hav 
l!y,  that  town 
ou).  Wo  h:ul 
;  school^-',  they 
n  trcopwS  quar- 
vcre  permuted 
vil  and  nnhti'i 
id  destributiou 
impartial  pan- 
•sscssed  all  tile 
d  i'rom  therii. 
ns  and  instni 
istantly  aspire 
arccom^igned 
1,  martial  hiv:, 
;t^:  ol' imported 
(lit  oil  l)y  the 
or  driver  mlo 
conflagration  ; 
ithont  quarter, 
lOUt  trial,  after 
3S  of  their  slain 
turned  over  to 
eps  thy  thun- 


der ?  Is  tliere  no  veno;eancc?  Is  there  no  viala  of  wrath 
to  ho  poureu  on  those  mcarnato  demons,  who  do  those 
deeds  ol  ii^nominy  and  horror?  Is  it  to  he  endured,  does  it 
not  make  the  blood  boil  ?  does  it  not  torture  the  feeliuirs 
with  raekinm'  ])ain  that  l'Uiio[)eans, —  hireliufr  sokhcrs 
ol  Ibrtnne,  aliens  to  tlu;  la!]d  and  its  j)eo[)le,  the  base  and 
sordid  toots  of  transatlantic  lust  of  power,  shoidd  pol- 
lute the  rieh  soil  of  America  with  siieh  enormities?  Wv 
shudder  at  the  leeilal  of  theso  very  acts  of  horror,  when  ncr- 
jietrated  by  'I'urks  m  Greece,  or  by  Russians  in  Poland. — 
Shall  they  hapiuui  at  our  diior  stone,  ;uid  au-ak'cn  no  con- 
donaiation?  They  sliall  not,  th(,'y  will  not.  until  the  dec- 
laration of  indefHMidenee  be  e:>:j)iuiued  iVom  our  memories, 
iind  every  sontiment  of  patriotism  and  freedom  which  hal- 
lowed the  Revolution  b.e  extinouisiied  in  our  Innu'ls. 

'•When  the  tiuio  comes,  as  come  it  will,  lor  those  provin- 
ces to  bo  iiide})eiident,  then  will  there  be  more  complete 
unity  of  political  jjrineiple  on  this  continent.  It  will  come 
ere  louir;  for  not  li'iokiiid  h(M'S(df,  or  il  l-jnirhuul,  not  tlie 
provinci^s  can  submit  to  trie  military  occupation  of  the  Can- 
ndas  as  a  permanent  systeiu  of  f^MV.'rnmont.  Or  wd'l  the 
inother  coimtry  reduce  the  colonies  to  a  desert  and  call  that 
r)Cico?  No,  th(^v  will  becem'"^  Wr.o  and  tlieir  freedom  wilt 
lo  for  the  common  beneiir  of  Air;eric.'i.  Tndoponde'ut,  in 
(;Io3c  associatio5i  with  us,  the  navi^rntion  of  the  St  Tiaw- 
vencc  and  tlio  lakes,  the  allantic  hsheric;?.  and  tlie  fur  trade 
ot  the  north  wa^st,  each  of  us  delivered  from  bord<u*  troubles 
and  controversies,  and  loth  jo^scsodof  similar  political 
institutions  ;  Nortli  America  would  then  present  one  har- 
monious American  whole,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  the 
Artie  sea.'' 

23* 


i 
i 

i 

i 
\ 

r  i 


1  'I 


m-i 


m 


«, 


"■,'   f 


m 


i 

I*'"-    • 

III'-'   1 

'p! 

'  .■** 

1  ■\'' 

.       *     *' 

H 


|M. 


'm:- 


VI- 


*■; 


( 

iC' 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 


1 


Further  Executions  at  Montreal. 

Oa  tlio  15lh  Feb.,  1839,  Brigadier  General  Charles  Ilindt- 
Ktng  was  cxeculed.  He  died  as  he  lived — a  generous  and 
gallant  Frenchman,  the  friend  of  tiie  o;»pres.sed,  the  soldi(!r  of 
ifbcrty.  Ho  was  born  ai  [*aris,  Marcii  '25ll),  lb' 10,  and  com- 
manded the  Canadian's  at  Napicrv  life  and  Odielown,  Nov.  1838. 
Tho  d;«y  previous  to  his  execution,  his  f(dlo\v  prisoners  pre- 
pnrred  a  dinner,  to  which  we"o  invited  Messrs.  ilindelang  and 
He  Lorinior,  and  l>iron  F'  itclin.  At  the  dessert  the  brave  Do 
Ijorimer  was  called  upon  for  a  sentiment,  and  gave  the  follow- 
ing : 

**My  Country — May  it  never  forget  that  brave  men  have 
sacrificed  their  lives  on  tlio  scaflTold.  A  Patriot  1  h:ive  lived, 
and  a  Patriot  I  shall  die!  Woe  to  tyrants  :  their  reign  will 
»oon  b'j  at  an  end  !*' 

After  which  Mr.  Hindelang  was  called  upon  to  give  a  sc;:- 
tinrwnt,  and  he  spoke  in  the  following  manner  : 

^'Brethren  in  misfortune — I  am  nearly  a  perfect  stranger  to 
yau  all:  my  acquaint  ince  with  most  of  you  is  indeed  very  lim- 
ited, and  may  be  traced  only  to  the  camp  at  Napervillc.  Boi 
still,  how  can  I  account  for  the  great  attachmcnl  I  feel  for  you 
all?  if  it  is  not  because  in  common  we  alt  aspire  for  libert;;, 
nod  bee?  in  common  we  are  all  the  song  of  iho  sarTiO  moth 
er.  France  ^^  France  !  thou  which  received  my  first  breafli' 
thy  son,  who  lo  morrow  sliall  die  on  the  gallows  in  a  strango 
had,  is  yet  attached  lo  thee  !  Yes;  I  cannot  think  of  thcc^  ] 
witliout  sluidding  a  tear;  hut  it  is  the  tear  of  aftecticn.  Adieu! 
I md  of  the  sage  and  the  brave  !  I  have  not  dishonored  thco. 
I  have  been  faithful  to  tho  moito  of  a  Frenchman — 'deatk 
HATHKR  THAiN  DisiioNoii  1^  I  havc  takco  i>p  arn!s  ill  favor  of 
the  oppressed  against  tho  oppressor.  1  have  been  unsuccess- 
ful, and  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  cruel,  ungenerous,  sav- 
aije  enemies,  who  know  nothing  about  an  hotiorable  warfare. 
But  they  have  not  been  able  to  conquer  my  feelings.  I  am  yet 
devoted  to  the  holy  cause  of  universal  freedom,  and  shall  die 
with  a  conscience  void  of  guilt,  in  regard  to  having  lifted  rny 


EXECUTIONS    AT    MONTREAL. 


275 


•nrles  Ilindf- 
reneious  and 
thn  soldier  of 

ID,  und  com- 
n,  Nov.  1838. 

risoners  pre- 
liiidelang  and 

the  brave  Do 
vo  tlio  follow - 

ve  mon  have 

I  Ivive  lived, 

lir  reign  will 

.0  give  !i  sen- 

cl  stranger  to 
eod  very  lim- 
•orvillc.  Btil 
I  feci  for  you 
0  for  libert\-, 
0  sp.n'iC  motii 
ly  first  breafli^ 
s  in  a  .strangf^ 
think  of  thcp 
ti(:n.  Adieu! 
Iionort'd  thco. 
man — 'death 
!s  ill  favor  of 
?n  unsuccess- 
f^norous,  sav- 
able  wnrfare. 
gs.  I  am  yet 
and  3hall  die 
nng  lifted  my 


arm  in  fnvor  of  the  Canadian  struggle.  Ciin  the  blood  of  so 
many  valuable  citizens  be  spilt  with  irnpuniiyl  Will  not  the 
Canadians  revenge  ill  And  you,  my  liear  bifthren,  who  are 
in  chains,  whose  wives  and  daughters  have  Imiph  polluted  by 
the  licentious  British  soldiers;  whose  homes,  where  onco  joy 
reigned  with  virtue,  have  been  made  desolate — shall  not  your 
cruel  treafm(;nt  be  revenged?  Yes:  it  siiall  be  revenged!  and 
1  appeal  to  the  justice  of  the  A'migl'.ty;  for  his  curse  will  sure- 
ly rest  Uj-on  a  people  who  reniler  themselves  guilty  of  such 
crimes.  I  see  some  among  you  are  shedding  t(!ars.  Allow 
me  here  to  borrow  the  words  of  him  who  was  sent  to  save  the 
world:  "Daughters  of  .lerusalem,  weep  not  for  me,  but  for 
yourselves  and  children  "  No,  my  dear  Iriends,  it  ought  not 
to  bo  f(»r  me  that  you  wee|t;  bi;t  shed  tears  over  the  woes  of  your 
unfortunate  country.  As  [o  m\seir,  the  ilcvd  will  sdou  be  done. 
Aye;  before  twenty-four  hours,  1  sliali  be  a  iifehvss  corpse;  but 
your  country,  my  dear  brethren,  shall  exist,  eiMn-r  in  happi- 
ness or  misfortune.  It  belongs,  then,  to  its  soi.s  to  show 
whether  ihey  are  willing  to  l)e  rie(  nien  or  the  ahject  slaves  of 
the  British.  But  you  have  nerd  of  foreign  aid.  O  France  ! 
hast  thou  forgotten  that,  on  this  side  of  the  -ast  ocean,  thou 
hast  sons  who  yet  speak  thy  langnagc — who  have  religiously 
kept  all  t!iy  customs'?  If  thou  h;ist  not  forgotten  them,  to  their 
help  then  !  Do  not  allow  the  haughty  English  to  annihilate 
them  in  defiance  of  all  treaties,  and  contrary  to  all  rules  of 
national  equity  !  But  my  voice  is  altered.  I  think  of  your 
national  woes,  my  dear  friends,  and  at  the  same  time  my  head 
is  troubled  with  the  phant.un  of  mv  por>r  aged  mother,  when 
she  rhall  hear  that  I  have  pei'died  on  the  vealFold,  in  a  foreign 
land;  and  thai,  too,  by  the  merciless  hands  of  Britons  !  O, 
God  !  grant  her  the  necessary  courasre.  My  dear  friends,  let 
some  of  you  write  how  firm  and  resigned  I  was  to  my  unmer- 
ited fate;  -m\  tell  her  that  I  died  like  a  Frenchman.  Libertv 
cannot  he  bought  too  dear  for  voui  unhappy  country,  and  I 
willingly,  and  with  a  contented  heart,  make  a  sacrifice  ot  my 
life  for  "your  country's  cause.  O!  brave  companions,  (turnmg 
toward  the  other  persons  who  were  to  sutler  with  him.  j  to-mor- 
row is  the  day  of  trouble— not  for  us,  hut  for  our  tncnds.-- 
Your  names-my  name,  shall  be  engr.ived  in  eucrs  ol  gold 
on  the  altar  of  liberty.  Now,  my  friends,  I  shall  give  you  the 
following  sentiment:  Canada-I  value  not  my  lie,  li  thou 
canst  be  once  freed  from  English  slavery.     It  is  the  sinceit 


4, 


276 


EXECUTIONS    AT    MONTUEAL. 


.i  --J 


'  Vic  • 


h   '' 


i'i   ' 


wish  of  one  who  I o- morrow  v/i!l  sutler  doalh  for  thee.  The  day 
will  vet  come  when  thy  sons  wiii  rc^rnemher,  iti  iheir  dnys  of 
jubilee,  thnlChailes  llindelaiig,  a  luirjc/ncr,  was  a  marlyrfor 
llicir  sakes.  and  a  victim  ol"  English  hatred/'' 

While  these  nohle  souls  wrvr.  si-atcd  at  table,  several  Bri- 
tish officers,  atu.j  the  editors  of  the  lory  [laucrs  of  Montreal, 
canio  into  the  w.ard  to  have  a  giancc!  -it  the  vieliins,  which 
a  thirst  (or  hlood  had  (looined  to  a  viuli  nl  deal';,  and  to  their 
astoni.shment,  found  these  men,  whom  ih^  y  e.\j,(  cied  to  see  in 
deep  melancholy,  seated  at  tables,  and  exiircs^in;:;  the  most  no- 
ble sentimt^its  uC  patriotism  and  ld);'it\-.  i)iirin.'i  the  s[)eechL'.s 
ot*  De  Loiimer  and  llindelang.  scvi  r;i|  oi'  these  lories  wc^ie 
seen  shedding  tears.  This  heart-reiwinii!  >c(M,e  did  alleel  tlicn)! 
and  none  but  the  most  callous  an<l  conseioicc  seaii  d  could  re- 
frain fr<nn  s!i()win<]:  n)arks  of  s\n)|ialli\  lor  [lie  unlV)itunatc 
subjects  oi'  IJritish  crutdiy. 

Mr.  llendidang  wrote  alettc.'rto  Uaron  h'ritelinon  the  rdglit 
j>revious  to,  an<i  another  on  tlie  moi'iii:)^-  oi",  his  execution,  a^i 
lollows: 

MoNTREAi.  Prison,    IItii.    Ffb.    1839. 

My  dear  Baron — In  a  few  hours  more,  it  will  be  all  over 
willi  mo  in  this  world.  We  have  just  s';);\rat('d  from  each  otli- 
e)-.  I  have  received  your  last  and  iVaieimd  embrice,  and  yc;t 
a  desire  of  still  chatting  clings  to  me.  L-  t  n-  tben  converse. 
The  conduct  of  those  who  think  then;<{dv(^s  t!)e  masters  of  ihi:^ 
country  is  really  strange.  1  iiave  just  been  told  that  tiic  offi- 
ce»'a  on  guard  here  make  a  great  adldr  oi"  my  co  irage,  from 
iKwinsjf  seen  me  at  my  ease  at  table.  'I'his  does  not  surprise 
me;  for  in  general  tint  is  a  field  of  battle  ou  which  the  Eng- 
lish lik')  l)el1er  to  tVdl  than  withdraw  lioui.  However,  wo 
must  do  them  justice:  f()r  the  loyal  vo!un:eers  have  o\(M'  ttiem 
t!ic  advantage,  of  joining  to  that  quality  a  first  rate  talent  Cor 
narralic)!!.  For  proof  of  this,  1  have  oulv  to  refer  you  to  the 
magnifi'MMit  account  of  the  batllo  at  ()ulevi!h\  as  given  by 
Lieut.  Col.  Taylor.  Such  pleasant  lies  can  ordy  come  from 
under  the  uigof  a.  courageous  V(dunteer.  Tlieir  reputation  at 
the  LONG  BOW  is  great;  and  in  that  service  Mr.  T.>y  lor  deserves 
more  tiian  the  rank  ol'  Colonel.  It  is  quite  pleasing  to  hc^ar 
him  relate  how  his  brave  soldiers  ncquittid  tliemselves  of  their 
duty.  The  dear  Colonel's  fine  drciam,  and  tin?  l)rilliant  char- 
ges of  his  men  did  not  wear  out  their  siuxv^.  We  left  Nupier- 
villo   in  a  body  ot  between    five  and  six   hundred  men:  and  as 


the  Colonel  is  probably  endowed  with  double  vision,  ho  sees  in 


Exr:cuTiOi\s  at  month kal. 


Tlio  (ja^ 


lliat  body  Ix'lwcun    rune  and  (.lovon    huiidn  d.     A  fcrw  oidv  of 


ic'lr  days  of   %l    his    men  ventured   out  of   their  s!. 


Ii  marl 


yi^'  i^( 


or 


«i;v('ral  I>r 
iMonl 


real 


iiris, 


\vl 


llCl) 


'\n(\  to  their 
<-d  to  seo  in 
u,'   most  no- 
lle spccchc.i 
Jories  wac 
'■''.'eel  tliciii! 
id  could  i\)- 
utiroitunate 

ill  iho  night 
xecution,  ',\s 

F.n.    1839. 

bo  all  over 
nn  each  oth- 

00,  and  yet 
"ii  converse, 
i.stors  of  ihi:i! 
tliat  liio  ofFi- 

ii-age,  from 
.lot  surprise 
c;li  the  Eng- 
.)vvcvor,  wo 
i'  o\(»r  ttieiii 
ie  talent  for 
■  you  to  tho 
i'^    given  by 

come  froMi 
.'()Utation  at 
lor  deserves 
iig  to  hear 
Vf's  of  their 
li'int  clinr- 
efl  Nupior- 
en;  and  as 

he  scGs  in 


men  ventured  to  learn,  at  tliei 


one   church;   and  nine  of  hi? 


br.tvo   men  outside  anuuig  the  Canadians,      it 


r  own  cost,  thai  tiiero  were  als: 


i:'i  reailv  shame- 


lul  lliat  a  man  should  d.i;e  to  boast  of  such  tntles.      The  whol 

a  company  of   stii  vlin.L-s,  ihat  cter- 

'^'^cy  cann<;t 


hodv  of    volunteers   is    but 


nailv    shout    ♦ 


CJod 


avo    tlie   Queen,-'   le 


get  their  living  by  otlser  means.      !)>)  hi 


cause 


it   s:iov,'  y.iur-elves  C' 


nadians,  ',\p\    these  paltry   beings  will   be  soor.  h;.!  ia  tho  d 
I  should  like  to  see  a  few  hundred  sue! 


U5 


1  men  as  v.c  knrjw,  and 


of  wlioM)    there  are  many  in   this  country,  a[  the  heels  of 
be^nrars       O,  that  it  w 


ere  so,    but  once:    ai, 


wo 


thes' 
n  I) 


_    r-">--    ■  -•  '     "     .»v.iv,o./,      i./ii  t  wMv^'.  ,      (111    ;     ,;ii     \^(j;|.U    ij'JflU    t)*'' 

right.  I  can  wriio  no  more,  my  llioui:his  rua  so  fast.  All  I 
can  say  is,  to  iriorrow  u^e  are  to  s(;rveas  an  (  xhihition  for  tho:-y' 
shabby  rased:;.  O,  1  liave  a  mind  to  I  rur;!,  \v.  t'lcir  faces.'  I 
die  conlent  and  feel  tiie  happy  satisfae;.on  oi"  ii;.ving  done  ail 
in  my  power.  They  hang  me,  they  say,  lo  serve  as  an  exam- 
I'le.  1  hope  it  may  bo  one  !  May  every  str  irg'r  bring  to  the 
cause  as  much  v^iilingness  as  I  did,  and  liie  hanger  shall  be 
lianged — each  one  in  his  turn — that  is  l.i.t  jii>t.  li.iron,  if  one 
of  these  reilcoats  falls  into  your  bain's,  si.nw  him  the  surnc 
road,  lhat  he  may  biing  me  news  cf  year,  bm  remember  well, 
that  I  am  a  General,  and  that  I  require  so;:)-thin/^  good— at 
least  a  Colonel — if  less  than  that  Til  send  bi.n  b.ack  to  you. 
One  grows  tired  of  trifling.  It  is  midnight;  and  at  nuie  o'clock 
1  must  go.  Adiou!  1  know  you  want  a  -erious  letter;  but  no 
man  can  bo  held  to  impossibilities.  Oar  evciiinfj  party  was  too 
stormy,  'i'eara'l  this  up,  and  let  us  say  do  m.^re  about  it.  1 
hav(;  awnkened  from  mv  sleep,  and  recomnvMioo  jn  [\)q  bono 
of  doing  b-iier.  '  CliARLE;-^   {IINDELANG.' 

Montreal  Pris  ».v, 


Montreal  I'ris  ».v,  > 

Feb.  15lh,  1839,  morni.')^-    o  oM  .:k.  S 


Dear  iIaron — Before  vengeance  and  cruehy  slviil  iiave  al- 
together destroyed  iho  thoughts  of  a  mm  wiio  despises  these 
sentiments,  but  who  leaves  tliem  to  his  mard'rers,  1  wish  again 
to  communicate  to  you  my  manner  of  viewine  tiiires,  though 
you  already  know  it  There  are  persons  who  understand  each 
other,  and  require  but  a  glances  of  the  eye  for  a  word.  The 
gallows  claims  its  prey  !  An  Englisli  hand  has  erected  it  ! 
Cruel  and  savage  nation  !  Arrogant  and  ungenerous  people  ! 
fn  recalling  to  this  unhappy  country  the  ages  of  barbarity; 
surpassing  them  in  atrocity,  wiiy  iiave  you  not  also  preserved 


Mi 


278 


EXKCUTIONS    AT    MONTREAL. 


it:' 


i. 


nil  llieir  usngts?  Torturo  is  yet  wanting  Id  complete  yonr 
joy  !  AIj!  if  you  but  cinrcd!  Are  ye  ntU  master'?  Wiint 
leaf  ye  llien?  One  foul  deed  more  can  cost  liille  for  sucli  souis. 
1  laugh  at  your  gibbet!  I  sliould  laugh  at  your  elUuls  to  tor- 
m.enl  your  vietims!  Liberty,  O  Lil.eiiy!  how  Ixautiruj  would 
it  be  again  to  sutler  lor  you'  How  deliglitfoi  would  it  Le 
lo  maKe  the  C'unadians  comprehend  the  streni^lls  and  cour;i^'e 
jour  lovers  receive  wliile  serving  you!  Awaken  tlu  n  Canadi- 
ans! Hear  ve  not  tlic  voice  o!"  your  brolhor>?  it  calls  ye! 
That  wlr.c:  r(  n.rs  fiom  ti;e  prnve.  lt»i-ks  n(»t  I'oi'  vengeance, 
hut  cries  aloud  utito  you  to  l.:e  free.  Will  it!  ai;d  it  is  dont . 
lichold!  behold  ye  English — this  snil  ihal  je  tread,  ye  l.ave 
bathed  in  generous  hh  (;d!  it  will  b(  ar  ye  i:o  K-ircr.  l^aee, 
accurt^ed!  pn;s-xd  is  thy  reif:;n.  When  the  l^taxe  Cnradians 
shall  awake,  you,  l^aion,  f^haii  be?  with  tliem.  Yen  will  aid 
iheni,  and  1  shall  bless  you— you,  and  all  wl;o  shall  act  likes 
you.  Andtiou,  O  France!  have  not  thy  gmerous  sons  learn 
ed  that  here  they  ba\e  br"lhers?  Recall  then  ail  tliy  well  m^er- 
iied  b»tr(  d  rgninsl  lhes(!  Kngli^h.  Weie  it  in  their  power, 
thev  would  not  spare  thee.  Adieu!  dear  rar(n.  Adieu!  niV 
wortjjy  friend.  By  you,  I  shall  be  remenibered.  I  sliall  live 
in  your  heart,  as  also  in  that  of  every  generous  friend.  No! 
no!  death,  theie  is  nothing  fearful  in  thee!  wlicn  lor.g  and  glo- 
rious remembrance  is  left  beliind!  My  bedy  tf»  the  butchers — 
but  my  thoughts  and  wy  licart  lelong  to  my  family  and  to  my 
friends!  lie  be  happy;  and  never  forget  one  of  your  good  and 
faithful  comrades.  [Signed.] 

ClIAKLES  IllNDELANG. 


leci 


M',!i    V 


A  liitle  before  the  lime  appointed  for  his  execution,  the  Pro- 
vost Marshal  entered  his  cell,  and  informed  him  that  he  must 
bo  prepared.  *'I  am  ahendy  prepared  for  your  butchery,*^ 
said  the  noble  sullerer.  *'  1  die  with  no  remorse:  and,  thank 
God,  my  conscience  is  clear  of  all  guilt."  When  the  Provoc-t 
Marsha!  canu;  to  pinion  his  arms,  Mr.  Ilindelang  became  very 
much  excited,  and  said,  "  Aie  you  not  satisfied  wiili  having 
tortuied  me  when  you  look  mo  to  my  triai?  Look  at  these 
wrists,  and  see  how  I  have  sufTered.  But  the  work  must  be 
finished.  Tmerk  will  we  a  day  of  vknoeance  yet."  The 
duor  of  his  cell  having  been  opened,  the  first  person  he  saw  was 
one  of  his  fellow  suflerers.  Chevalier  De  Lorimcr,  who  in  a 
loud  voice  greeted  him  ^^'ilh  th(;se  words — "Courage!  it  will 
SOON  BE  oveu!"    Mr,  Elindelang,  in  a  cheerful  and  firm  voico 


)m(ik'te  your 

iviil     Wlint 

r  such  soni.s. 

iUuls    lo  tor- 

niitirul  wouici 

uoulcl   it   Ic 

niid  coui'fi^M; 

l!i(  11  Cnundi- 

It  calls  JC-! 

1"  veugcniicc, 

ul  it  is  (](>n«. . 

•ad,   yo  liavo 

igcr.      Pace, 

e  CnradinpH 

Ycu  will  aid 

lall   net    like! 

s  soiis  learn  ■ 

liy  well  imcr- 

liicir  powtr, 

At!icu!  HiV 

I  siiall  live 

frier.d.     No! 

or.g  and  glo- 

e  butclieis — 

iy  and  to  my 

)ur  good  and 

ELANG. 

on,  the  Pro- 
lat  Iio  must 
r  butciiery,'^ 
:  and,  thank 

tlio  IVovo.-t 
jccamo  verv 

uiilj  having 
ook  at  these 
ork    must  bo 

YET."    Tho 

I  he  saw  was 
I",  who  ill  a 
ge!  it  will 
d  firm  voico 


EXECUTION'S    A"-    MONTREAL. 


271) 


answered,  "Death  is  nothing  to  a  Frenchman  who  dies  in  llie 
causo  of  Liberty!'^  It  is  itnpojsible  for  any  one  to  desv^ribo 
the  heart-rending  scene  that  to(dc  place,  when  the  other  prison- 
(ira  came  to  bid  adieu  to  their  unfortunate  ciMnriidt^.s.  Shortly 
after,  the  prisoners  were  ordered  to  pruieed  towards  the  scaf- 
fold, whieii  they  did  with  that  firinness  whielj  sIjowimJ  they 
were  not  afraid  to  die.  On  the  scallold,  lirig.  G.'.n.  Ilindelanj; 
came  forward  and  addressed  the  miililude  there  assembled  in 
the  followif)g  terms: 

"  On  this  seatTold,  erected  by  liio  hands  of  Knglishnen,  I 
declare  that  I  dip  with  the  e<invi.;Lio;i  of  having  Uulv  fulfilled  my 
duty.  The  sentence  by  whieli  I  am  condcmaeci  to  death  ii4 
unjust.  I  willingly  and  cheerfully  pardon  Ihos*.'  who  havn  pro- 
nounced it.  Tiie  cause  for  which  1  am  about  t'»  be  sacrificed  i« 
great  and  noh!e.  I  am  proud  of  if;  unA  do  not  I'v^xr  dealli. 
'Phe  blood  which  has  been  soiit  in  it,  s!)  ill  b(j  rod(;emed  and 
wppcased  by  blood  only.  M  iv  the  r<;sponsil)ility  fall  o.i  tho<!« 
who  are  guilty.  (Janadian.^!  in  bidding  you  a  last  farewell,  I 
lu.iqueath  to  you  iha  motto  of  France,   "Vivi-:   lv   Libkrty!*' 

Thus  was  a  noble,  brav  \  and  g..'M(irou.^  i' reiichuiaii  sacrifi- 
ced by  the  foes  of  freedom  in  a  British  IVovinct;,  to  uppea>!u 
the  vengeance  of  ofibnd(Ml  toryism.  TJius  ended  the  pioci-'UM 
life  of  a  man  wliose  piiilafithropy  lead  him  to  tread  l!i.;  palln 
of  danger,  and  whose  greatness  of  soul  iinpelled  him  onward 
in  the  footsteps  of  the  illustrious  La  FayoMe! 

VVitii  him  suif.jred  the  worst  that  a  cruel  and  barbarous  go- 
vernment Cduld  inflict,  in  the  bloom  of  youl'a,  the  brave  Ch!>:v- 
ALIER  De  Lorimikr,  descended  of  an  a ncieut  and  honorable 
French  family,  and  blessed  v/iih  a  lovely  wifj  and  tiirce  in- 
fants, the  |)ride  of  his  lieart.  ffe  was  thirty-five  years  old,  a 
Notary  Public  of  Mo  itieal.  When  this  g  i!!  lot  yooiig  mm 
was  cut  down  from  the  galK>ws,  the  followin;^  letter  was  t'ouni 
in  his  bosom,  close  lo  his  heart,  addressed  to  his  pi»or,  distress- 
ed Harriet: 

MoNT.iKVL,  New  j  lil,    Feb.  lo.  1839,     } 

7  .'I'cloek  A.  M.  '^ 

My  dkap»  and  well  nrLovKo  wifk: — On  the  evf  of  my 
leaving  my  dungeon  to  mount  tlie  political  sc.uTdd  already 
reddened  with  the  blood  of  many  victims  who  have  thereon 
preceded  me,  conjugal  duty  and  my  own  ineiimtion  prompt 
me  to  write  yon  a  word,  ere  I  appear  before  God,  t!»e  supremo 
judge  of  my  soul.     In  the  short  space  o!'  time  which  has  passed 


(If 


280 


EXIXUTIONS    AT    MONTUKAL. 


•f   ■     t 


from  the  day  of  our  sacred  union  lo  the  present  moment,  you 
have  made  me,  my  divir  wife,  truly  liuppy.  You  Iwive  been 
wanting  in  nothing,  towards  me;  all  lias  been  rri(Midshi[),  kind- 
ness, and  sinccirity.  For  all  those  virtues  on  yeur  part  I  have 
never  been  ungrateful.  On  this  very  day,  blood-thiisfy  assas- 
sins are  t(!aring  me  from  your  arms;  tju^y  can  never  flPice  my 
remembrance  from  your  heart;  of  that  I  am  wrll  C()nvince(l. — 
Tlsey  take  away  i'V'  in  you  your  su|>porl  and  j)rol('Ctoi-,  and  llio 
I'litlier  of  your  di^ir  utirnrtuaute  (^hildri^n.  Providcnee,  to^'etiu'r 
will)  your  l*i  iciuls,  the  frien  Is  of  my  country  shall  provide  for 
them.  Tliry  have,  not  fjiven  me  time  to  ."ee  mv  two  dear  litlli; 
children,  so  tint  1  could  pross  them  to  my  patorual  hosf^m,  aii'! 
give  them  a  ia>t  f'Mri'woll.  They  hnve  even  drprived  me  (jf 
seeing  my  good  o'd  (atlvr,  my  brothors  and  sifters,  to  hid  theiii 
an  et(-r!i;il  aditvj.  Ah  cruel  thought!!  Neverllieless  1  lorgivf 
with  all  my  hcnrt. 

As  to  vou,  d(';ir,  you  mii-t  tako  rou)'n(2;e  and  ini()ro.s8  on  your 
mind  that  you  musl  live  for  the  silce  of  vour  uiil\>rlunato  cidl- 
dren,  who  uilj  hf  o-|-,-;itIv'  in  nocl  dl'  tii'»  i!)ai.;.'rii;j|  (Niro  of  h 
iJMider  aiid  (h.'voted  uiollier.      'I'hcy  shall  know  no  more  my  en- 

I  :\-;sur  >  vou,  mv  doir  I  larri^'I 


resses  arni  my  cure 


Of  tiicm. 
.1, 


that  if  froin  liifM'th'-ti.il  world,  it  were  wcr' [jennilt-'d  tne  still  I 
aid  and  pixt.'Ci  vou.  1  >houlfl  hind  ud  vour  l)r()keu  lieai  t.  I  wouM 
Koothe  your  sorrow,  I  wouhi  watch  hy  day  nod  hover  rouiul 
your  pillow  hy  !ii;'!)t!  .My  (k  ar  little  children  will  l;e  di^privf! 
of  my  caresses,  but  they  will  Ijc  d'.)ubly  caressed  by  vou,  y-) 
that  they  mmv  not.  I'oi-l  t'lie  dco])  loss  thoy  shall  have  hi  m  <urn 
over.  I  8hili  see  ynu  i;o  more  in  this;  worlh  O  what  a  thought! 
l>ut  vo',1.  mv  i\  -w  Harriet,  vou  may  seo  mo  one(>  more  and 
for  the  la-t  tirno;  thi-n  shall  I  be  cold — inanimate  arul  disfigur- 
ed— moti(M)|{\-s  ']•: — death,  tiie  tears  ot'mv  l]arrl''t,  thv;  heaving 
oflier  hosoir),  th;^  agonv  of  iier  heart,  I'll  not  witi'.'s-.;  hut  the 
thought  unmans  nv%  I  feel  not  for  mysfdf,  for  I  am  pronnred-- 
It  is  my  [jarriet!  my  own  [larriet!!  I  fitiis!i  hv  ofTering  t> 
the  rti.'rnal  (lod  th-*  most  sincere  prayers  for  your  comfort 
und  happii!(!ss,  and  that  of  my  dear  iitih^  cliiMren.  Y<vsterda\- 
evening  you  recdved  my  last  emljra-^e.s,  and  mv  I  ist  verha! 
adieu.  Neverth  de^s  fro:n  my  cold,  d unj)  amJ  lonely  cell,  wiili 
all  the  pre|)arat!ons  of  death  before;  \i\(\  I  cfivo  you  my  las! 
FAREWKfJy.  Your  koid  an  I  loving  Irasbind,  chained  likf^ 
a  mi'r(h'rer,  and  his  artns  soon  lo  be  pini'HiiNd,  wislies  you,  my 
dear  [larriet,  hapf)iness,  if  ever  your  broken  hi-art  cati  enjoy 
it.     Be  then  hanpy,   my  dear  and  unfortunate  wife,  as  aI^>o  my 


jar  b'ti 
dieu    1 


I  Mr. 
irievc 
^'liich  I 
(lit. 

Will 
linal  ai 
rs  by 
joiboi: 
oproa( 
ion  ;  I 
hem  X\ 

>F/rr 

BE! 

aui 

To  hi 

riic  u 

viih  jT 

0  deat 
Cai 

We 
lie  li 
larin, 
:rcn's 
ivill  b( 

1  thoi 
Th( 

iie  ot 
rom 
Th( 
hat  th 
lot  he 


PEl'lTlON   QV  lllE  INDIANS. 


28 


Jcar  litlle  chiMicn,  it  is  the  most  arfler)t   jirnycr  of  my  soul- 
momont,  you  Lj^^,,    ,Yjy  tLMjcler  wilo,  once    more   {kIIcu:   and  be   happy, 
'J    hiive  been 
tiflshi[),  l<it>d- 
r  part  I  have 

lliiisiy  assus-  i    .,      -^     ,       .  ,.  .         ,  ci-     t  i       /-<  n 

v(!rf'l"ric(i  mv  I  -"^'  *^^  Lorimcr  petitioned  Sir  John  Coiborne,  lor  a  re- 

onviiicful.—   ii'ievo  of  a  few   days,  on  iiccount  oT  prolcssional  hnsiiK 

ctor,  nnd  fho 

(lit. 
With  Do  Lorimcr  and  TTindelanosuflercd  Joseph  N.  Car- 
inal  and  Josef)li  DuqiK-lte.  The  latter  wiTe  taken  prison- 
rs  by  the  (■aiiolmawaga  Incii;iiis,  who  petitiomd  K>ir  John 
;olboine  to  spare  their  [ivis.  TIh;v  were  ireiitlemeii  ofir- 
oproachitl)ie  chanicter,  as  will  l)e  seen  hy  the  Indian  peti- 
ion  ;  l)tit  they  loved  libcjrty,  and  that  was  enough  to  doom 
hem  to  the jrvliowSv 


to^'othfr 


do 


II  {)rovi( 
wo  dear  Utile 
\\  hosnm,  aii'i 
p rived  me  of 
s,  to  hid  theiii 
less  1  rorgive 


press  on  your 

orlunato  ci;il- 

iial    (!are  of  h 

inoro  mv  ca- 

(If.ir  I  larri 


Yo:;r  uufoftimnto'  husband, 

CIJL^VALILUI  DE  LORlMlVR. 


I  ess 
tinch  he  wished  to  settle  before  death — Sir  John  disregard- 


II  l,e  (ii^privc! 
(i  hv    von,    .'■  » 


ETl'VION  OF  THh:  INDIANS  <W  ST.  LOUIS  IN 
BEHALK  (3F  MESSRS.  CARDINAL  AiM)  [)V- 
aUETTE. 

'^' "      '  .ti  .     I'o  his  Excellency  tSir  John  Colbornr,  Govcniar 
loaii.  1  NvoaM  General,  ij'c  {yc. 

1  hover  round  pbc  Undersigned,  Indians, 

lliimbiy  shcweth:Thal  wo  'nave  b(3en  struck 
.  ,  \riih  grief  in  learninu,"  that  our  father  had  de'erniined  to  iiiit 
!  '  a  th  MU'hi!  ^  Q^**^'!  ^^vo  ot  the  prisoners  that  we  have  captured:  Joseph 
neo  rnDro'^ni.l  ^-  Cardinal  and  Joseph  Duquette. 

jukI  disfi^mr-      ^^^  approacii,  then,  our  fatfier,  to  supplicate  l)in'»  to  spare 
lie  life  of  these  unfortunate  men.     Tlmy  fK«ve  done  us  no 
larin.     They  have  not  imbrued  their  hands  in  their  breth- 
Tcn's  blood.  Why  spill  theirs?  if  there  iiiust  be  victims,  tlieiie 
ivill  be  cnoutrh  besides  them,   of  unfortunate  men,  v/ho  are 
thousand  times  more  guilty  than  they. 
The  wife  and  children  of  the   one,  the  asfcd   motlier  of 
ihe  other,  join  their  tears  to  our  voice  in   imploring  mercy 
"om  you. 
The  services  that  we  iiave  rendered  her   majesty;  those 
lat  the  Q,ueeu  do  yet  expect  from  us,  and  which  we   wilt 
ot  iicsitato  to  render  her  in  proper  time,  induce  us  to  b^' 

24 


t,  th'3  heaving 

iti'.i.'ss;  bi.it  lite 

im  pr'Min  r(Mi-- 

hv  n(]t>riii^  t> 

Voiir  comfort 
).  Yostorda;.' 
11 V  I  jst  verba! 
liudy  cell,  wlih 

yoa  my  lasi 
1,  ehained  liUf 
isiics  you,  my 
•art  cnn  cojoy 
ifc,  as  also  niy 


r: 


282 


PKTITION    OP    MRS.    DLQUETTE. 


IT 


pi., 

i 


lieve  that  onr  liunible  prayer  will  find  the  road  to  thehcari 
of  your  excellency. 

And  we  shall  never  cease  to  pray  unto  the  great  spirit  for 
the  glory  and  conservation  of  our  fatlier,  and  lor  the  happi. 
ness  of  his  children." 

This  petition  was  delivered  by  an  Indian  Chief,  toircth, 
er  with  the  i'ollowins;  letters;  h'U  the  torics  declared  tlio 
gallows  must  I  e  glutted;  and  Sir  John  was  di'leiniined  to 
give  them  u  surfeit  ol  the  choicfst  viclinis.  NiiUlior  pr;i^. 
ers  nor  supplications — tlu;  wteping  wife,  nor  the  w;\ilui;r 
mother,  had  any  elUict.  Sir  John  and  his  lady  disregarded 
all  with  perfect  indilference.  This  monster  told  the  Indian 
Chief  that  "a  good  character  made  a  good  victim." 

LiJ'ttcr  from  Mrs.  J)uquelle  to  Sir  John  Colhorne,  askiu;/ 
for  the  pardon  of  her  son. 

Ma}/  ii  picdsc  j/our  /J^vccllctict/:  The  aged  mother  of  hu 
unfortunate  son,  whom  tender  age  has  brouiiht  on  the  verge 
of  the   abyss, — falls  at   the   feet  of  your  Excellency,   wil!i 
grief  in  her   heart  i\nd   a  sobbing  voice,  lo   beg  from  youi" 
Excellency  her  son's  pardon.     To-morrow  the  fatal   order. 
by  which  the  thread  of  his  life  is  to  be  cut,  is  to  be  put  into 
execution.     Must  he  die  in  the  morning  of  his  life?     He 
who  is  the  only  support  of  the  latter  days  of  his  aged  care 
worn  mother — he   who  is  the  only  protection  of  his  three 
younger  sisters — he  wlio   is  a   perfect  model  of  filial  f)iety 
and  fraternal  love — he,  who  is  cherished  by  all  his  friends! 
Must  the  young  and  tender    head  fall   a  sacrifice   on  the 
bloody  scalfold  ?     Must  your  petitioner  with  her  remainini: 
children,  bo   reduced  to  beg  for  their  daily  bread.?     How- 
ever abundant  that  bread  might  be,  it  would  always  be  eat- 
en in   liitterness  of  soul,  for  it  would  come  no   more  from 
the  hands  of  a  beloved   son,  an  idolized  brother  !     And  al! 
this  becimse  the  unfortiuiate  young  maii  had  allowed  him- 
self for  a  momerU  to  be  It^d  astray    and   had  given  way  to  a 
storm  which  had  envelloped  so   many  of  age  and  experi- 
ence, No,  no!  your  heart  which  has  experienced  the  feelings 
of  paternal  love,  must   feel  compassion  for  my  situation.— 
You  cannot  disdain  my  prayer,  the  prayer  of  an  unfortun- 
ate mother;  and  if  you  do  not  give  me  back  my  son,  yoil 


will  a 
re  pen 
iiiiigU 
not  lo 
also  w 
drivel 
iiiceni 

\'OUV 

ins  en 
I'ardc 
lliat  c 
voiir 
M-rva 

llOSS  ( 


MUS 

m 

M 

;i  mol 
overs 
iVom 
Joar  i 
liiisb 
warr 

iiiu:li 
have 
hie. 
wha 
such 
his  I 
a  not 
hapi 
his  1 

Vcd 

pun 
reco 

noc< 


h'i-", 


id  lo  the  heart 

^reat  spirit  for 
lor  the  h^ipjii. 

Thief,  torrcili. 
dcclnrwj  the 
(Ictcrniinetl  |,. 
Nt;jt']c!r  j)r.'i). 
r  the  waihii;^ 
y  disre^ardiili 
)ld  the  Indi;iii 
mm." 
I  borne,  nskiij'r 

mother  of  .ci 

t  oil  the  verge 

lellency,  wiiii 

)eg  from  your 

le  fital  order, 

to  be  put  intoi 

his  life?     H(! 

his  aged  can; 

n  of  his   three 

of  filial  fjjety 

nil  his  friends! 

:ririce   on  tlio 

her  remainiiii: 

^rend?     How- 

nhvays  he  eat- 

10   more  from 

lor  !     And  al! 

allowed  him 

iven  way  to  a 

c  and  experi- 

i(l  the  feelings 

y  situation- 

an  unfortnn 

my  son,  voi 


PJTITION    OF  RIIIS.  CAUlJiNAAL. 

will  at  least  commnle  ijis  sentence,  and  i^ive  liim  time  for 
repentance.  You  will  rememlKM*  that  Im;  has  not  spilled  a 
siii^^He  droj)o(tho  blood  of  his  iellow  creaturt'S.  You  will 
not  foiii;ct  that  he  has  already  sulltird  -you  will  not  lori^et 
also  what  your  [)etitioiier  has  suffered  lot  hin),\vlien  she  was 
ilriveii  from  her  home  by  the  lire  killed  by  the  hand  of  the 
incendiary.  Pardon,  which  is  a  kin<^ly  virtue,  oii«;ht  to  be 
n)Ur  nunU  noble  |)leasure.     P.irdon  then   my  son;  and  all 

his  compatriots  shall  join  me  in  bles^in^•   your  memory. 

I'iirdon  my  son,  and  experience  will  teach  the  whole  world 
iliat  clemency  and  iiol  riuor,  is  the  nucleus  of  loyally.  And 
your  petiiioner  will  not  cease  to  implore  heaven  lor  the  pre- 
servation and  .'.Hory  of  your  Excellency,  and  for  the  happi- 
ness of  your  I'aiuily. 

I  J.  DURAND,  widoio  Duquette. 


Mils.    CARniNAi;S    LMTTKR    TO    LADY     COL 
HORM:,  80L1(  ITLNG  HER  LXIERCESSION  IN 
HEILVLF  01^  HER  HUSBANDS  LHl). 

My  Lady. — You  arc  a  wife,  you  are  a  mother  !  A  wife, 
;i  mother,  driven  by  despair,  fory^etlinii;  the  rules  of  etiquette 
()verstep[)ino'  (he  orcat  distance  by  which  slie  is  se])arated 
iVom  your  ladyship,,  is  fdliii:,^  at  your  lict  Iremblnu,^  with 
loar  and  her  heart  broken,  to  bc^^  for  the  life  of  her  beloved 
liusband,  and  ot'tlie  father  oflier  live  children  !  The  death 
warrant  is  already  sii^ncd  !  !  The  fatal  hour  is  drawin^r 
nigh  !  To-morrow  1  alas,  to-morrow  !  God  !  oh  God  !  ] 
have  not  the  strength  to  look  forward  to  a  destiny  so  horri- 
ble. The  very  thoughts  of  it  fill  my  soul  with  despair; — 
what  will  be  the  reality?  Oh,  I  shall  never  be  able  to  bear 
such  a  calamity  !  The  blow  which  will  cut  tlie  tliread  of 
liis  life,  will  be  but  one  for  us  both.  Happy  would  I  be  if 
iinother  existence  did  not  depend  on  mine  !  !  But  my  un- 
happy child  will  never  see  the  light  !  lie  will  perish  with 
his  mother  under  the  scaffold,  where  his  father  who  deser- 
ved a  better  fate,  had  perished.  O  God  !  is  it  thus  that  thou 
punishest?  No  ! !  pardon  this  blasphemy  !  Men  only  have 
recourse  to  such  deep  vengeance!  Men  only  cause  the  ill- 
nocent  to  perish  with  the  gulity,— guilty— what  do  I  say? 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


A 


1.0 


I.I 


l^m    |2.5 

|so   ■^~     M^H 

Bi   1 22 


^  m 


I  -^  IIIM 

■yui. 


1.25  |,|l.4   ||,.6 

.4 6"     

► 

V] 


^ 


^. 


/: 


y^ 


<# 


y 


Pho 


Sciences 
Corporation 


^^^^ 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4503 


fc 


Is 


:\ 


\ 


c^ 


284 


MKS.    CAilDINALS    LETTri'.Jt. 


•i-^, 


>■ 


It;    '! 


h   I 


...*  i( 


mr 


nnd  my  hnsbnnd,  whnl  [uis  he  been  giirlly  of?     The  mos^l 
that  can  be  made  ol  it,  is  that  in  a  single  moment  of  excite 
ment,  or  ratiier  a  moment  of  \v(;akness  that  lost  him, — hh 

swDin  enemv^    wfio  had  resolved  on  his  death 

that  same  man,  con  Id  not  convict  him  of  a  single  act  of  vi  i 
olence  !  must  his  blood  be  spilled;  him,  who  far  from  spil 
ling  the  blood  of  his  fellow  creijtnres,  never  injured  any 
one  dnrinir   the  whole  conrse   of  his   life?     For    it  is  au 
atrocious  calumny   to  say   that   he  brought  other  people  to 
their  ruin.     Oi  a  \-cry  timid  disposition,  aiid  very  little  giv 
en  to  society — enjoyinn"  the  pleasure  of  life  but  in  the  mid?:t 
ot  his  family,  who  adored  him — he  had  no  part  hi  the  agi- 
tation which  |)rt>ciMlt;d  the  last  scenes  of  woe.     It  was  then 
in  his  peaceable   home  that  a   sudden  and  and  unforeseen 
movement  surprised  him.     Weak,  he  allowed  hinisolf  to  bo 
led   astray  by  a  torrent    aoaiust  which  the   stronoest  man. 
would  have  resisted  in  vain.     He  made  no  victims — on  tin- 
contrary  he  is  a  victim    himstdf.     This,    his   crime  (if  it 
is  one),  has  he  not  already  expiated?     Has  he  not  already 
sutlered  too  much  ?  and  during  the  time  that  he  was  lying 
in  his  lonely  d?mgeon,  neglected  by  all,  did  we  not,  your 
humble  petitioner  and  her  children,  suffer  enous^h  on  his 
account?     Once  happy    with   him,  nlthono:h  in  the  hum 
blcr  walks  of  iif(^,  have  v/e   not  been  banished   from  our 
homes  by  the  liafUed  torch  of  the  incendiary?     Have  wt 
not  been  stript  of  every  article  we  had,  even  of  the  clothes 
from  our  backs  ?     Have  we  not  been  reduced  to  live  on  the 
bread,  given  unto  us  by  the  munificence  of  the  Almighty. 
through  the  hands  of  those  charitable  peop!(?,  who  lor   tli;; 
sake  of  heaven   take    pleasure   in  dispensiuij:  to   the  needy  . 
those  treasures  which  are  put  into  their  hands?     And  vou  U 
my  lady,  what  treasures  h.is  not  heaven  put  into  your  hands;;  | 
has  it  not  given  you  nnmense  influence  over  tlie  mind  audi 
on  the  heart  of  one  who  at   this  moment  directs  our  desti-l 
nies?     Do  as   the   charitable  people  to  whom  I  have  just  t 
now  alluded,  turn  those  treasures  to  your  eternal  advantage; 
nnd  to  that  'of  your  husband  whom  you  cherish,  and  of  those 
children  who  are  your  irloryaiid  happiness.     Oh  !  human-? 
ity  certainly  is  not  banished  from  this  land  of  ven^feance—  i | 
it  must  have  taken  refuge  undoubtedly  in  the  hearts  of  wQ'|| 


f '.?     The  mo>^ 

merit  of  excite 

lost  hini,-_hii,. 
it[i 

nigle  net  of  vi 

>  lar  ihnxi  spil-. 

r  injured  aiiv 

For    it  is  aii 

^tlier  people  to 

very  little  oiv. 

ut  in  the  niid^t 

Kirt  iii  the  [\'y>. 

it  was  then 

U)d  unforeseen 

d  himself  to  bo 

stronoest  niaij„ 

ictinis—on  th-c 

s   criirio  (if  it 

he  not  already 

t  he  was  lying 

1  we  not,  your  j 

enouo^h  on  his 

h  in  tho  hum 

ihed   from  our 

7  ?     Have  wc 

of  the  clothes 

I  to  live  on  tlu; 

the  Almi^ihlr. 

,  who  lor  tlii! 

r  to   the  needy 

Is  ?     And  yow 

to  your  handb' 

'  tlie  mind  andv^ 

'ects  our  desti- 

)m  I  have  just 

nal  advantage 

h,  and  of  those 

Oh  !  human- 

fven^feance— }. 

hearts  of  wo  •  | 


MRS.    CARDINAL'S    LETTER. 


285 


•I 


ri 


Kg 

IF 


men,  in  the  hearts  of  mothers  as  yours  is.  Humanity  shall 
speak  through  your  lips— it  shall  be  persuasive,  eloquent 
and  irresistihle— it  shall  stop  the  sword  of  death,  now  ready 
to  immolate  so  many  victims — it  shall  bring  joy  into  the 
hearts  of  so  many  utdortuiiate  beings;  who  dread  the  rising 
of  to-uiorrow's  sun— it  shall  be  heard  even  in  heaven,  and 
shall  be  registered  in  the  BOOK  of  life. 

EUGENIE  ST.  GFRMAIN. 

Wife  o/"  Joseph  Narcesse  Cardinal. 

On  Sept.  29,  the  Buffido,  convict  ship,  sailed  from  Que- 
bee  to  Botany  Bay,  with  139  of  those  gallant  patriots,   who 
escaped    the   gallows.     In  this  penal  colony  the  English 
government  sends  vast  numbers  of  h(;r  subjects  unto  the 
most  horrible  slavery,  insomuch  that  many  hang  and  drown 
themselves  rather  than  suffer    under  tlie  stripes  of  their 
task  masters.     On  board  this  British    slave  ship   were  59 
Lower   Canadian  prisoners,  and   about  80  others,  chiefly 
American  citizens,  whose  gallant  and  heroic  efforts  at  Wind- 
sor  and  Prescott  Canadian  tyrants  could  neither  endure  nor 
forgive.     Alter  keeping  them  nearly  a  year  in  jails,  giving 
them  mock  trials,  sentencing  them  to  be  hunof,  drawn  and 
quartered,  Gov.  Ponlett  Thomson  wrote  to  Colborne  tosend 
them  into  perpetual  slavery.  They  were  heavily  manacled, 
chained  in  couples,  like  dogs,  conveyed  to  Quebec,  a  humil- 
iating spectacle,  put  on  board  the  slave  ship,  stript  of  their 
clothes,  their  headsshaved,  canvass  shirts  put  on  them,  their 
dresses  made  like  those  of  rogues  and  felons.     They  were 
then,   stowed  away  in  the  hold,  like   wild  beasts,  heavily 
chained!     103  of  them  have  wives  and  3S7  children  ! 

Thus  lar  the  Canadian  Patriots  have  been  unfortunate. 
Death  has  cut  some  off  on  the  scaffold — the  field  and  in  the 
jails  ;  many  of  them  are  in  chains  in  penal  colonies,  and 
still  a  greater  number  suffering  in  exile,  their  property  des- 
troyed,  and  their  families  abandoned  whhout  succor.  But 
the  wounds  of  their  bleeding  country  shall  be  healed.  After 
the  disasters  of  anarchy  and  a  bloody  revolution,  the  peace- 
ful Canadian,and  the  proscribed  assertors  of  liberty,  will  yet 
behold  on  the  borders  of  the  St.  liawrence^  the  revival  of 
liberty  and  happiness. 
24* 


•  ! 


9.SC, 


: 


^V 


vt- 


'111 


ll* 


ll  i 


1' 


is. 


1/ 


"* 


NATUIIALIZKD    ClTlZi  ISTS. 


In  tho  l^pper  Province,  loynlty  to  tho  sovereiofn,  from 
other  causes,  besides  the  coniitiiions  course  of  op[)ressioii 
e.nd  misrule,  hitherto  pursued  by  the  IJrifisli  ooverrinieiit; 
is  inst  decnyin^-,  even  in  the  hrenst  of  those  wfio  frorn  the 
instilled  prejudices  of  nn  early  education  thouuht  it  criiiii 
J  nal    in  the  higiiest  degree,   lo  l;e    otherwise  than  sacredly 

!  fittached  to  tlie  person  of  their  savereii:ii,   and  with  theiV 

lives  to  maintain  the  dignity  oi'that  article  called  a  Crown, 
The  notion  of  sovereign  and  snhjeci,  relatively  considered, 
they  regard,  and  very  corn^ctly,  as  iiMj)lyn)ii:  an  acknow- 
ledgement that  the  King  or  Uueen  or  \vlioev(^r  sways  Vdq 
royal  sceptre  of  Great  Britain,  has  a  constitutional,  heredi- 
tary property  in  their  persons.  They  are,  also,  aware, 
thotigh  possessed  of  a  little  n)ore  political  privileires  than 
the  actual  slave  of  tho  south,  that  hy  the  laws  of  Eno;Iand 
thoy  stJiiid  in  a  worse  relation  to  tlieir  sovereign  than  a  ne- 
gro slave  does  to  his  muster.  For  tfio  Oown  claims,  ami 
by  a  pretended  con  >titutional  right  insists  on  the  allei^iance 
of  its  suhjecls,  of  every  description,  duriii::  their  lives.  iXor 
can  the  King  irvi\ni  the  right  o[  expatriation,  without  tho 
action  of  Parliament.  Neither  can  any  act  of  the  suhjecS 
expatriate  hinself,  or  transfer  his  alli-giance  to  any  other 
sovereign,  power,  or  potentate  whatever — hence  ''  once  a 
subject,  forever  a  suV)ject."  Even  the  ultra  tories  deprecate 
this  claim  of  the  Britisli  government,  as  contrary  to  tho 
laws  of  nature,  and  now  begin  to  feel  and  look  upon  it,  as 
a  sore  and  cfym<r  evil.  The  moment  a  British  subject  re- 
nounces and  abjures  his  allegiance  to  the  crown  of  Great 
Britain,  and  becomes  a  naturalised  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  lie  is  by  virtue  of  the  solemn  contract  entered 
into  between  him  and  tho  irovernment,  possessed  of  all 
the  riglits  and  immunities  of  a  natural  born  citizen,  and  its 
protection  guarantied  to  him  as  su:h,  on  the  condition  that 
he  perform  the  same  routine  of  duties  required  of  the  other 
class  of  citizens,  in  time  of  peace  or  war.  But  Great  Bri- 
tain disregards  this  protection  so  solemnly  and  sacredly 
vouched  by  the  government  of  the  United  States.  For  in 
the  event  of  a  war  between  them,  should  any  of  this  class 
of  citizens  be  taken  prisoner  in  the  American  ranks,  with 
arms  in  his  hands,  he  would  suffer  the  penalty  of  death^ 


NATUllALIZKD   CiTIZKNS. 


^87 


reign,  from 
op})ressioii 
rover  rime  lit; 
ho  from  the 
^lit  it  crimi- 
.111  sacredly 
I  with  theif 
d  a  Crown, 
considered, 
in  acknow- 
r  sways  the 
Mini,  he  red!" 
i!so,  aware, 
inleLfes  than 
of  Enirland 
1  than  a  De- 
claims, an(.i 
e  allei^iancc 
r  lives,  i\or 
vithont  the 
the  snhJGcl 

0  any  other 
ce  '•  once  a 
3S  deprecate 
trary  to  the 

npoti  it,  as 

1  subject  re- 
rn  of  Great 

the  United 
ict  entered 
ssed  of  all 
zon,  and  its 
ndition  that 
)f  the  other 
t  Great  Bri- 
id  sacredly 
es.  For  in 
)f  this  class 
ranks,  with 
ty  of  death  J 


notwithstandimr  his  citizenship,  for  darino-  to  transfer  an 
allei{iance,  which  the  laws  of  En^rland  declare  to  he  per- 
petual. In  conseqneuce  of  this  savaire,  slavish  and  ever- 
lasting claim  of  Great  Hriiain  on  the  person  and  alleuiance 
of  iier  bond  subjects.  Thousands,  and  thousands  to  the 
back  of  that,  who  wonid  cheerfully  aid  and  a  sistthe  gov- 
ernment of  their  clioice  and  adoption,  to  repel  every  inva- 
sion of  the  British,  and  volunieer  to  drive  the  last  vestioe 
of  her  sickening  influence  (mm  the  contmeiit  of  North- 
America,  will  hold  hack,  and  look  on  as  mere  anxious 
spectators,  nor  can  the  government,  we  should  imagine, 
from  its  inability  to  periorm  its  part  of  the  naturalization 
contract,  compel  them  to  take  arm^  m  snch  a  case.  This  is 
a  gri(wanco  whieli  calls  loudly  for  the  interposition  of  Con- 
gress. A^rievince,  which,  in  time  of  war,  the  American 
iXovernment  will  tcel  the  eifects,  it  notseitled  before  hand, 
in  fact,  it  appears  from  recent  events,  that  a  citizenship  in 
the  United  States  whether  of  the  natural  or  naturalized 
kind  is  no  jn'otection,  either  in  war  or  ponce.  A  number 
of  highly  respected  and  noble  hearted  citizens  volunteered 
their  services  to  aid  the  oppressed  Canadians  in  their  effort 
to  throw  off' the  galling  yoke  of  bondage;  under  which  they 
labored.  While  thus  nobly  employed,  some  oi  them  were 
taken  prisoners  by  British  bondsmen;  the  ex-President  dis- 
owned them  as  citizens.  Consequently,  a  number  were 
hunofj  Jnid  many  transported  as  felons  for  life.  On  tha 
other  hand,  a  gang  of  British  desperadoes  invade  the  Uni- 
ted States,  in  time  of  profound  peace ;  murder,  maim,  and 
slaughter  unsuspecting  citizens  when  fast  asleep;  board 
and  burn  an  American  steamboat,  in  an  American  harbor, 
'^riie  case  is  laid  before  the  British  Parliament  for  redress 
For  two  long  years  they  declined  acknowledjjing  it  as  an 
authorized  act  of  the  government,  until  one  of  the  midnight 
assassins  is  taken — a  true  bill  of  indictment  for  murder  »nd 
arson,  found  against  him,  by  twenty-three  enlightened 
grand  juryman — then  Great  Britain  acknowledges  the  mur- 
derous act  as  done  by  her  authority  ,  claims  the  culprit  as 
a  British  subject ;  demands  his  immediate  release  under  an 
insolent  threat  of  war  in  case  of  refusal!  Notwithstandinsf 
the  crime  with  which  he  stands  charged,  exceeds  in  magni- 


14   ■ 


W.-j 


11  ; 


288 


NATDRALIZliD   CITIZENS. 


tilde  and  atrocity  any  oi  those  for  which  the  unfortunate 
American  citizens  were  hun<^  and  quartered  in  Canada,  in 
1838  and  '39.  Are  such  hloody  deeds,  perpetrated  on  un~ 
offending  American  citizens,  on  American  soil,  to  bo  tolo 
rated  by  the  American  government,  while  its  free-born  citi 
zens  are  doomed  to  death  or  banishment  by  the  despotic 
government  of  Great  Britain,  for  nobly  aiding  the  oppressed 
against  the  oppressor? 


.L 


r  >  ! 


Br       i 


iinfortnnatp, 
1  Canada,  in 
rated  oii  iin 
I,  to  be  tole- 
•ee-born  citi- 
the  despotic 
ho  oppressed 


COINCLUSION. 


Tbe  writer  has  endeavored,  in  the  foreiroing  pn^ros,  to 
put  the  reiider  in  possession  of  facts  to  enable  him  to  juds{e 
ol  the  condition  of  the  neiuhljo'rino:  Provinces.  And  al- 
though, in  so  doinir,  lie  freely  admits  liis  political  predelic- 
tions,  and  the  bias  consequent  thereon  ;  yet  the  reader  may 
bo  assured,  in  ^lanciiiir  over  tlio  outra'i^es  which  he  has 
detailed,  that  'Mhe  halt  has  not  been  told."  A  vast  amount 
oIl  it,  is  hidden  from  every  human  eye,  except  that  of  tho 
sufferers  themselves. 

To  say  nothinjr  of  the  destruction  of  human  life  in  the 
field,  or  on  the  scaffold,  yet  the  destruction  of  property — 
the  outrages  upon  women — the  rending-  of  domestic  ties 
— llie  lonely  wanderin<ys — the  insults  of  licentious  armed 
tories  and  Orangemen — the  midni2:ht  burnings  ;  as  in  the 
District  of  l3eauharnois,  where,  for  twenty  miles  square, 
every  habitation  was  destroyed  in  the  depth  of  winter,  and 
where  liundreds  of  women  and  children  perished  in  the 
snows — and,  above  all,  the  secrets  of  the  Prison  House. 
Who  shall  reveal  iheynl  Think  of  nearly  two  thousand 
of  the  best  men  in  the  Canadas,  being  in  prison  at  ©ne 
time;  and  in  such  jirisons  too  !  and  not  a  few  of  them  in 
cells,  witli  scarcf*  a  blanket  to  protect  them  from  the  cold. 

Tlie  untold  sutferinijs  of  these  men,  in  these  Royal  dun- 
geons, like  those  interred  alive  in  the  gloomy  cells  of  the 
state  prison  of  Franco,  maybe  ima2:ined,  but  can  never  be 
described.  They  will  bo  remembered  when  they  share  the 
fate  of  the  Bastilc. 

"Tlie  Baslilo; 
Yo  horrid  towers;  the  abode  of  broken  hearts; 
Ye  dungecns  and  ye  cages  of" despair 
Which  inonarchs  have  supplied  from  «ge  to  age 
With  music,  such  as  suits  their  sovereign  ears; 
The  cries  and  groans  of  miserable  men." 

Then  again,  look  at  the  exiles.  How  many  thousands 
<>f  them  are  there  now  along  the  linesj  who  may  ahnost  be 


291 


coNci.usrox. 


M 


:ii  ! 


|i      '    'It 

j     I 
ii  '   i 


I 


I  '■-J'   >(  . 


H  if^r'-'i 


said  to  have  no  homes?  ^rhcy  had  a  home  once,  liyond 
the  lakes  and  tlie  St.  Lawii'nco  ;  and  tiie  hviufcent  gov- 
ernment there,  it  is  tme,  will  now  |:ermit  ihcmio  retnrn. 
But  to  return  to  what?  Do  tliey  want  to  sec  th.e  drunken 
hounds  ofthe  I'action  in  poi^session  of  then*  {-ubstance,  and 
themselves  the  objects  of  scorn,  as  tlic  accej)tors  of  an  inso- 
lent pardon?     Not  they. 

They  hope  to  see  their  own  firesides  ajzain,  to  be  sure  : 
l)Ut  not  by  means  of  Jolm  Prince's  Amnesty  nill.  'J  hey 
liope  better  things  than  tliat;  "and  \ov  (his  hofiu's  sake" 
they  are  willin;^;-  still  longer  to  iiidnre.  '• 'j'liey  hide  tiicir 
lime.''     They  know  that 

'•God  moves  in  a  rjysttrious  way 
His  wonders  toper.orrn," 

and  that  "  in  proportion   to  tlic  magnitude  oi  events,   does 
He  give  them  the  greater  circle  to  move  in." 
One  word  to  my  fellow  P^xiles — 

"Poor  wanderers  o'er  llCe's  ►toriny  sea, 
riow  liom  wave  tu  wave  you're  driven." 

Yet  ''  cheer  up  awhile." 

"What  though  the  field  be  lost? 
All  is  F^.ot  lost." 

liCt  US  look  at  our  affairs  for  a  moment.  Three  years  ago, 
Sir  George  Artlnir  wrote  to  his  lord  and  master,  the  Scc- 
cretary  for  the  Colonies,  that  '^  Order  reigned  in  the  Pro- 
vince;;" just  as  the  Czar  announced  over  the  smoking  ru 
ins  of  Poland,  tliat  "  Order  reigned  in  Warsaw."  He  had 
driven  us  all  out ;  and  had  made  our  homes  desolate  :  our 
companions  were  in  tiis  jails  ;  and  lie  was  laying  the  "flat- 
tering unction"  to  his  soul,  and  crying.  Peace,  Peace.  But 
where  is  it?  Since  then  Colborne  has  gone  home,  with  the 
blood  of  St.  Kustache  upon  his  soul.  Bond  Head,  the  ma- 
jor of  the  wagon  train — where  is  he?  Durham  went  home 
disgraced,  and  died,  a  broken-hearted  man.  Sydenham, 
ofter  being  delivered  of  that  abortion,  the  "  Union  Bill," 
died  also.  And  Arthur  himself,  the  cidevant  goaler  :  the 
Col.  Arthur  of  Van  Dieman's  Land,  that "  hell  upon  earth,'' 
whom  Lord  Glenlg  sent  to  rule  over  us — where  is  he? 
Gone  also.    He   began  his  career  with  dabbling  in  the 


CONCLUSION'. 


291 


cc,  Ityoiid 
ficent  gov- 
1  lo  leliiitj. 
c  (Jriinkrn 
itanco,  iiiid 
of  Jill  inso- 

o  be  sine  : 
lill.  'Jhcy 
Dptj's  sake" 
;  bide  tlicir 


vents,  does 


I 


years  ago, 
:er,  the  Sec- 
iti  the  Pro- 
imoking  ru 
"     He  had 
IsohUe  ;  our 
U^  the  "flat- 
IPeoce.    But 
ne,  with  the 
iad,  the  ma- 
went  home 
Sydenham, 
nion  Bill," 
Igoaler  ;  th(^ 
jipon  earth," 
bare  is  he  ? 
iug  in  the 


blood  of  Lount  and  Malifiews ;  making  in  one  day  two 
widows  and   twenty-two  orphans,    whose  tears,   hko  tho 
blood  of  Abel,  cry  Ironi  the  yroniid  ;  while  he,  with  Cain's 
mark  upon  him,  finds  that  "his  [>nnishment  is^rreatdr  than 
he  can  bear."     And  ihouuh   last,  not  least,  wh«Me  is  John 
Beverly  Robinson,  tlie  Americaji  tory,  who.  with   a  sneer 
on  his  lip,  pronounced   the  sentence  of  the  law  nj)on   the 
proto-maityr  i.ount,  at  whoso  table  he  had  oitiui  partaken? 
If  there  be  a  man  upon  (uuth  enduring  tlie  pains  of  hell,  he 
is  that  man.      Verily,  they  have  all  had  llieir  reward  :  and 
yet  this  is  but  tlie  fiist  fVuils  of  the  vintage. 
In  the  rneaiitnne  "  Oriler  reiirns  in  Warsaw!" 
The  drunken   Major  of  the  City  Guards  in  Toronto, 
with  his  two  hundred    whiskered    Fandours,  as  drunk  as 
himself;  five  block  houses   in  the  heart  of  the   city,  with 
artillery  in   eacii ;  two  brass   pieces  in  the  mirk(!t- place  ; 
the  windows  of  tlie  Buik  of  Upper  Cuiada    planked  up, 
and  loop-liolcd  (or  niuskeirv  ;  a  fort  full  of  infantry  of  the 
line  to  overawe  the  city  ;  a  police  sm;;llin<>'  into  eveiy  cor- 
ner, in  search  of  Si'cret  meetin;j:s  ;  the  populace  of  llui  Pro- 
vince disarmed,   arid    the  scum   of  the  population,  whom 
they  call  their  fjiilitia,  guarding  the  lines  ;  troops  m  every 
village  and  over-awing  all  maniiestation  of  |)ub!ic  feeling, 
and  guarding  the  polls  at  their  mock  elections,  and  looking 
down  with  scorn  on  the  rnarmed  yeoman  and  hahitdn^  who 
look  back  upon  them  with  feelings  of  bitter  exasperation  ; 
and  all  this  they  call  "  Order  in  Warsaw!"     Be  it  so. 
Cheer  up,  then,  my  fellow  Exiles. 

''What  though  tlie  field  be  lost? 
AH  IS  not  lo.st." 

But  is  the  field  lost?  Yon  know  it  is  not.  Here  we  are, 
where  we  were,  three  years  as^o,  like  Scott  of  Thirlsetane, 
"Ready,  aye  ready."  'I'lie  Provinces  are  sufferinof,  politi- 
cally speaking,  a  blockade  ;  and  what  is  play  to  us,  is  death 
to  them.  Like  Pyrrhus  of  Kir)irus,  "one  more  such  victo- 
ry, ''^^^^^  they  are  ruined."  Kvents  are  progressiufr  which 
neither  Mr.  Pox,  with  all  his  diplomacy,  nor  all  the  mo- 
ney changers,  who  have  intruded  their  tables  into  the 
Temple  of  Libertv,  who  assist  him,  can  control.  He  may 
denounce  us  as  "  Canadian  outlaws,"  and  beseech  the  Pre- 


fi 

t 

I'l.l 

f'\  ' ' 

'  « 

^*,^, 


'  1 


1 

i 

!        .'     ' 

i'i 

i'' 

i-      ■  , 

r. 

fi  ;• 

1 

I'i  '"■ 

1 

i'  i . 

' 

»L'  ■; 

'1 

I;l;  ■•'♦. 

\ 

1    . 

p 

f'-*t^' 

f>92 


rONCLUSlOiV. 


sidont,  on  Iiis  knees,  (o  issue  another  procl.iniation,  and  to 
dcpnlis(^  (resli  rnarslials  ;  and  lio  wvxy  assure  tho  world, 
over  and  over  a^^•^in,  thai  '•  OrdiM'  n.'iL,njs  in  Warsaw."  J^et 
him  ;  hnt,  '•  Bo  ye  patient."' 

And  you,  my  fellow  (!\ilrs,  who.  hke  me,  rame  tVon]  (lie 
'=  Lanii  oi'  \\\o.  monntain  and  the  flood,"  how  I  rejoice  wlien 
I  remetnber  that  oiK^hnll"  of  th(?  throe  hundred  prisoners  in 
Toronto  jiils,  in  IS'^r  were  Seolchnn^n.  UiMuemher  Ha- 
uermairs  second  hand  insoh.'iiee  in  tlie  Houst;  of  Commons, 
that  '•  if  St.  Vi\.u\  had  been  a  Pros])yterian,  \u)  would  have 
bi'cn  !i  rehel,  for  it  was  in  the  very  hlood  of"  th(!in."'' 

Was  it  to  endow  a  dominant  Episeopal  Ifitirarchy  tliat 
our  anecslory  dr(!W  their  good  hroad-swords  on  their  native 
hills  of  Scotland/ 

Scotchmen,  remember  nannockbnrn  and  Cnlloden.  and 
(he  murders  ot  Gleiicoe.  KfMncmber  Wallace,  and  the 
'  false  Moniieth.'  Kemembor  the  lirnce,  and  liow  he  cheer- 
ed hin"is(^lf  when  an  exile  on  Rocriii.  I'emember,  too,  that 
recoliU'mns  i}  ever  go  htrkfonrds;  and.  when  yon  look  n[) 
in\  your  children,  remember  that  the  oroatest  maik  of  vj^xio- 
niiny  that  cnn  1)0  cast  upon  an  American  of  tlui  present 
day,  is  to  say— Ilis  lather  was  a  tory  of  t!ie  revolution  ! 

(Canadians!  for  nf)wa.rds  ot"  simIv  years  you  have  borne 
with  a  patience  bordering"  on  servility,  a  continued  series 
of  insult  and  oppression,  the  bitterness  of  winch  none  but 
tfiose  into  whose  souls  the  iron  has  entered  can  describe. 
Yonr  prayers  have  been  conremn:xl  ;  your  fellow  subjects, 
wliile  exercisinjx  their  constitutional  ri^^hts,  have  been  si)ot 
down  more  likedo^^s  than  men.  The  public  lands,  which 
you  have  rendered  valuable  by  your  industry,  have  been 
alienated,  without  your  consent,  to  speculators;  your  school 
houses  have  been  shut  up  ;  yonr  halls  of  leijislation  turned 
into  a  hnnqnetiuij  house;  and  finally,  your  tyrants,  by 
means  of  the  Union  Bill,  have  reduced  your  elective  fran- 
chise to  an  enijine  of  coloni<\l  vassalai^e,  you  have  now 
nothinir  left  you  biU  either  to  declare  yourselves  men,  and 
follow  the  example  of  the  immortal  heroes  of  TG,  or  tame^ 
ly  submit  and  suffer. 

THE  END. 


tion,  and  to 
the  world, 
ryuw."    Let 


iTie  from  I  ho 
p  jo  ice  wilCM 
prisoners  in 
nomhcr  I  la- 
('  (\)iniTiotis^ 
would  have 

!rarchy  that 
llieir  native 

lUodei),  and 
CO,  and  the 
w  ho  cheer- 
ier, too,  I  fiat 
oil  look  nj) 
aik  o[  iirrio- 

the  present 
'ohilion  ! 

have  home 
iiuicd  series 
ch  none  hut 
an  descrihe. 
ow  subjects, 
^e  been  shot 
ands,  which 
",  have  been 
your  school 
ition  turned 
tyrants,  by 
lective  fran- 
i  have  now 
es  men,  and 
T6,  or  tami>- 


I 


